Champion of a Distant Dream
by WhizkidHV
Summary: He had sacrificed his soul to ensure they would remain. Eradicating his own existence to save those he loved, Emiya Shirou vanished from his world, forever. But the death of such a Champion does not go unnoticed, especially when there's a Goddess in the Astral Planes who knows everything. On the edge of the Horizon...
1. Prologue: A Distant Dream

Prologue: A Distant Dream

His consciousness was breaking apart. It was only a matter of time before it faded completely. An inevitable end. That was the price of the miracle he sought, the miracle he achieved.

Angra Mainyu was before him.

There was a wind. A scouring torrent that ground away at his existence with every instant, every moment that he remained within it.

_Stop it._

He'll forget. He'll forget. He'll forget about them, about what he wanted to protect. About what he held dear.

-There was something in front of him. Something he had to stop.

He didn't want to forget.

He had to stop it.

A wind. The scouring torrent that marked his inevitable end.

-He lost the meaning.

Time stopped.

An eternity. An instant. It didn't matter anymore.

***** ****** lost the meaning behind his existence-

"...All processes complete."

-and the eight verses were spun, entrusting everything he was to the SWORD he left behind.

A flash of blinding white and a tear across reality, opening a path to the origin. The reversal of fate, the revival of souls...

And Emiya Shirou's death.

* * *

A place beyond life and death. The void outside of existence. It was the Boundary of Life and Immortality.

In this void, a voice called out. "Incredible..." It was female, childish and yet wise.

****** noticed it, but could not notice it. There was nothing to hold the memory, nothing to acknowledge the words spoken. It flowed through him, past him, washing over the remnants of what once was. Remnants that would soon scatter throughout eternity, slumbering until time itself came to an end.

The voice belonged to a girl. Beautiful- no, radiant. She was radiant, garbed in a flowing white dress, and young with lilac-colored hair and emerald eyes gazing at him in awe.

When she noticed how ****** had resigned himself to his fate, she shook her head.

"No. I will not allow that to occur."

From anyone else, they would have seemed the empty words of a petulant child. Yet in that moment, at that time, the girl spoke with such Authority that it couldn't seem like anything but fact.

"I, Pandora, have acknowledged your valiant deeds. I have born witness to your tale... and what a tale it was. To usurp the Authority of the Creator Himself and then sacrifice it and your soul to save those you loved... how could I allow you to meet such an ignoble end?"

A warm embrace and some of the meaning was restored. Broken fragments were drawn together, piece by piece.

. "...I cannot return you to those you hold dear, and it is possible you may never know of their Fate. But even so..."

****** felt a soft caress, one like a mother does to comfort her child.

"I have decided. As the witch who brought forth All the Evils in the World as well as a fragment of hope, I declare you to be my new son."

A howling wind, a scouring torrent. The eternal and infinite cries across the universe, across existence itself that threatened to envelop him, to erase him.

But they never reached. There in her arms, Emi** Sh**ou was untouched.

A soft smile on the girl's... the Goddess's face. "Emiya Shirou, who obtained the power of the Creator, who eradicated All the Evil in the World from your reality. Let all present grant their blessing and their hatred to this hero."

A dull roar, hate and love. Cries of pain, cries of joy. With them came more meaning, the accumulated memories returning piece by piece.

"The eighth Campione, the Sword Saint of an Unreachable Dream... I bestow upon you these sacred spell words as the shred of hope that remains when All Evil has vanished from the world."

With that, he remembered.

The sacrifice he made, the Truth he wrought into existence...

"Be reborn, Emiya Shirou, as the Champion you truly are... and live on."

A kiss, gently placed upon his forehead. A warmth, spreading throughout his body. They caused more memories and meaning to return with each passing moment.

Shirou opened his eyes, seeing the Goddess for the first time. Despite that, he didn't pay any attention to her. Instead, his gaze lingered on something behind her.

Was it an illusion or a miracle? Either way, there were three women standing there, familiar faces that pulled at his heart, made him struggle to stand and chase after them-

_Live, Shirou._

-only to have the world fade to white.

* * *

_Loading user: Emiya Shirou._

_I/O Error. Corrupted Data._

_The Sixth: Error, invalid directory. Failed to read._

_Aristotle: Error, definition invalid. Failed to read._

_Reality Marble: Error, incompatible systems. Failed to read._

_Cardinal: Error, definition invalid. Failed to read._

_Scanning... match found. _

_Overwriting with valid data._

_Inheritance of battle technique, experience, and physical strength._

_Divine Instrument Forging, loaded._

_Magic Circuits, loaded._

_Accumulated memories, loaded._

_Compiling..._

* * *

Shirou woke up with a start.

He was sitting at a familiar _(unfamiliar)_ desk in a familiar _(unfamiliar)_ room.

_That's right_... He had been studying for the end of the year exams.

Out of habit, he glanced at his phone to check the time-

"What-?"

It wasn't the right day.

No... that wasn't it. The date itself was off.

2012\. That was the year _(it wasn't). _It was winter, mid-January _(it wasn't)_, and he was a second year student at Jounan Academy _(he wasn't!)_.

A blinding pain in his head, his body burning, burning, burning...

And he remembered.

He was the adopted son of Emiya Kiritsugu, retired freelance mercenary.

After his father's death, Shirou had moved to Tokyo to study at the prestigious Jounan Academy, wanting to graduate and continue his education in law school so that he could become a defender of justice and do good in this world, like Kiritsugu had wanted to in his youth.

He lived alone, in an apartment near Roppongi Hills, and would be turning eighteen this year. The last at Jounan Academy before continuing on to University.

...No. That was the 'Emiya Shirou' of this world, not him.

He was Emiya Shirou, the one who attained a True Magic to save the ones he cared for.

He was Emiya Shirou, the one who tore apart reality itself to save those that could not be saved.

He was Emiya Shirou... and he was alone.


	2. Every Day, to Live On

**Chapter 1: Every Day, to Live On**

Before he knew it, winter had turned into spring, and spring had given way to summer. Half a year, gone in no time at all for Shirou. Every day, falling away into another as the present moved into what was once the future.

Shirou attended class, working diligently on his studies, and he helped out around the school as he had always done, in both this world and his own. He had even managed to get a part-time job to fill in the free time after school as well. A daily routine, repeating until it was already near the end of June.

Shirou lived on. Even so, he couldn't help but feel restless.

This world's Emiya Shirou had been an ordinary person. Not a magus, not a part of the supernatural. While Kiritsugu had pursued his ideal of being a 'Superhero', Shirou's adopted father showed no signs of being a magic user in this world. In fact, there'd hardly been any signs at all of magic or anything similar since he had arrived. The only suspicious thing happening was a city-wide blackout a while back, but it was apparently caused by an incompetent technician that managed to overload the power grid.

Suspicious, but seeing as there weren't any strings of unexplained deaths or disappearances on the news, or even any other strange occurrences in the months following, Shirou thought nothing more of it.

In this world, Emiya Shirou was nothing more than an ordinary student with aspirations of becoming a 'Defender of Justice', which he intended to do through majoring in law and politics. Though he trained his body, it was done out of habit and respect for Kiritsugu, who emphasized the importance of staying in shape for someone who wanted to be a 'Defender of Justice'.

Even if that hadn't helped his adopted father in the end when he died to a viral infection.

And that was that. There was no need for magic in this world. No vampires, Heroic Spirits summoned from beyond the grave, or an omnipotent wishing machine to worry about.

Normal, and ordinary. That was the life that this world's Emiya Shirou had led, and the life that he continued to lead through sheer momentum.

But in the end, Shirou was not ordinary.

After giving his all to save those he cared for, he was given a second chance in a new world to live on... but for what did he live?

He had given up that ideal for their sake. He had seen that you couldn't save everyone, that you couldn't become a 'hero' who would defend the innocent. He had chosen the selfish path, desperately fighting for a miracle to save those he cared for, those he wanted to protect.

And he had achieved it. But the cost...

_Just what am I living for?_

It was nearing the end of June, five months since Shirou had woken up with memories of his past life. Memories that he knew for a fact were real after projecting a sword and almost cutting his desk in half trying out a 'Sword Skill'.

Memories of a war with a confident black swordsman at his side.

Memories of three girls who loved him, who he valued above his very soul.

Sakura. Ayako. Rin.

He would never see them again.

Without a doubt, they were alive and well. It would be impossible for them not to be after what he had done to ensure it.

That should have been enough for Shirou. That was what he had desired most of all, what he gave his very existence to guarantee. But even so, he couldn't help the dull ache in his chest that he felt whenever he thought of them.

It was nearing the end of June, five months since his new life began.

Shirou had easily passed his final exams, and was now a third year student at the high school division of Jounan Academy.

He had dabbled in the Archery Club, making a small effort to socialize with his peers, but it hadn't been the same. He kept expecting to see a certain brown-haired girl there, a certain boisterous woman who was like an older sister to him, or the helpful underclassmen who had pushed herself into his life. Even if it was relaxing to empty his mind and perform Archery, he couldn't bring himself to keep doing it when it brought back memories of those three.

He had tried kendo as well, but no one there could match him. Then again, that was to be expected. After fighting superhuman Servants and various monsters brought to life, none of the club members could hold a candle to him.

After that, he had turned his attention to his studies, doing his best to lead a 'good' life. But that path was unfulfilling as well. On accident, he found out that the eight steps he used for projection gave him an easy framework for learning new subject material, and before he knew it, he found himself at the top of his class.

Because of all that, it seemed that he had attained a reputation as a prodigy, despite being an average and relatively unknown student prior to the start of the new school year. Any discrepancies were explained away as him hiding his talents, and all of his protests that he was just an ordinary student were subsequently ignored.

Rin would have been proud of him for managing to attain a perfect cover story. That, or she would have been laughing at how ridiculous it all was.

...It was lunchtime. After giving the usual platitudes to his classmates and declining various invitations, Shirou quietly grabbed his lunch, some bread and canned tea, and headed towards the roof.

It was something he hadn't done often in the past, since most of his lunches had been spent with Issei in the student council room, or in class, but something he found himself doing more often since he had woken up in this world.

Stepping out onto the rooftop, he walked over to the fence and leaned on it. He absent-mindedly ate his bread while gazing out at the campus below. The gymnasium, outdoor swimming pool. The small forest near the boundary between the high school and middle school sections. An old school building that nobody used anymore. And there was that old-fashioned Japanese building, where all the cultural clubs were.

Though the places were different and there were more buildings around, up here on the roof, Shirou found himself thinking back to Fuyuki and the people he had left behind.

He took a sip out of his tea and then turned his gaze upwards. "It's almost summer now... half a year, already gone."

Time marched on without regards for those caught in its grasps. _Were they happy?_ Shirou would never know, and he had resigned himself to that fact, but in these quiet times with just him and the sky as company he liked to wonder.

Caught up in his reverie, he didn't notice the door opening until a voice called out. "Oh? There is already someone here?"

Shirou turned around, shifting his attention to the newest arrivals. It was a group of three students, underclassmen judging from the color of their ties. The one who had spoken was an elegant girl with blonde hair, clearly a foreigner, and violet eyes.

By her side, with his arm wrapped in hers, was a boy. Black hair, dark eyes. For a brief moment, Shirou was reminded of another person with similar traits, but there was no way that boy could be the same person. And he was proven right when the blonde girl spoke again.

"Godou, did you not say that there would be no one on the roof?" She pulled the boy's arm closer to her chest, and then said, "Have you been telling lies to this poor soul?"

The boy, Godou, glared at the blonde. That action was mimicked by the third person in their group, another elegant girl, but one with a more traditional beauty, black hair with a brown tint and brown eyes.

"Erica-san! To be so shameless, even in the presence of a Senpai..."

The blonde girl gave a wicked smile in return, and only clung on tighter to Godou's arm. "Shameless? No, I am only showing my devotion to Godou, Yuri. For a love as strong as ours, it matters not where and in front of who we express it. Right, Godou?"

Shirou smiled as he watched the trio's interaction. _How nostalgic._ Seeing them act like that reminded Shirou of Rin and Ayako-

_Painhollowyearning_

Shirou suppressed it, forcing the emotions down with a mind of steel, as he always did. But it wasn't fast enough, as Godou gave him an apologetic look.

With another glare at the blonde girl, Erica, to back off, Godou stepped forward and gave Shirou a small bow. "Forgive us for the intrusion. We wanted somewhere private to eat lunch and thought that we'd be able to get it here. We didn't mean to intrude upon you, Senpai."

Shirou shook his head. "It's no trouble. I was already finishing up."

With those words and a brief nod, Shirou left the three underclassmen to have their lunch in peace, not expecting to meet them again.

* * *

It was a few days later that Shirou encountered one of those three again. He had been walking early to school one day, when he heard someone's panicked voice. It was far away enough that he couldn't hear what was said, but there wasn't any mistaking the distress.

Shirou, being Shirou, decided to investigate. It was probably nothing, but the voice had sounded familiar, and he decided to err on the side of caution.

He pinpointed the source of the voice to behind a tree off to the side, a place that most people wouldn't notice upon a casual glance.

He walked towards the tree and called out a greeting. "Hello? Is someone there?"

The person behind the tree flinched, allowing Shirou to get a glimpse of long black hair that was tinted brown. "A-ah, yes."

A brief moment later, the person stepped out, revealing themselves to be one of the girls he had met on the roof during lunch time.

"You're... Yuri-san, right? Is everything alright? It sounded like you were in distress."

There didn't seem to be anyone around, but there was always the possibility that the other party had fled, or remained hidden nearby.

"Oh... no." She shook her head. "I was merely surprised by some news from an... acquaintance on my phone. I apologize for worrying you, um..."

She fidgeted a bit, as if at a loss of what to say.

Shirou was confused at first, but then gave her a sheepish smile and said, "Ah, I never introduced myself, did I?" He gave Yuri a small bow. "My name is Shirou. Emiya Shirou."

Yuri returned his bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Emiya-senpai. I am called Mariya Yuri."

Shirou rose from his bow and said, "Ah, Mariya-san, is it? Sorry if I seemed rude, but your name had only been mentioned once, and I didn't know your family name."

Yuri did the same, and then said, "No, I understand. But I am surprised. To think that you would remember my name when it was mentioned only in passing..."

Shirou shrugged. "Not many students take lunch on the roof." And it was true, surprisingly enough. Then again, it was somewhat frowned upon by the academy staff, so maybe it wasn't too surprising...

"Mariya-senpai? Is that you?"

A female student with brown hair done up in pink hair bands and green eyes.

Yuri nodded her head in greetings towards the new arrival and said, "Ah, good morning Shizuka-san."

Shizuka glanced between Yuri and Shirou, a strange expression on her face.

Not wanting to intrude, Shirou said, "If you'll excuse me, I have to be heading to class now."

He walked off, leaving the underclassmen to talk about whatever it was that they wanted to say, filing the event away as just another daily school encounter.

...He thought he heard something troublesome like-

"Mariya-senpai! How do you know Emiya-senpai?"

"Eh? What do you mean, Shizuka-san?"

"What do you mean, 'What do you mean'? He's the number one student in the school, the absolute kendo and archery master!"

-but he ignored it and continued along his way.

It was another everyday occurrence, something that he had gotten used to.

* * *

The days passed, and it was lunchtime. Again, Shirou took his food to the roof, today some homemade rice balls and fried egg. Simple food, but marginally healthier than the bread sold at school.

Again, he ignored the offers to join others for lunch.

...If Sakura was here, she would have scolded him for cutting himself off from others. That was one of the reasons she started coming over to his house everyday, after all. Shirou didn't have many friends back then, and Sakura had pushed herself into his life after the incident with Shinji in the Archery Club.

He was just about to sit down and start on his lunch when the door opened, revealing the trio he had met last time, as well as the younger girl who had been talking to Yuri the last time he saw her.

"Oh? You are here again?"

Like last time, it was the blonde who spoke first.

"Erica-san! I understand that you are foreign, but at least make an effort to show some respect to your upperclassmen!"

Yuri chastised the blonde, nervously shifting her gaze between the two.

Erica raised an eyebrow. "Disrespectful? In what way? I merely expressed my surprise in coming across that person once more, particularly in such an isolated area."

"Erica-san! Such disrespectful language is not..."

While the two girls broke out into an argument, Godou walked over to Shirou and bowed his head. "Sorry for those two."

Shirou shook his head. "Like I said last time, it's no trouble."

Godou sighed, and Shirou got the sense that the boy was relieved Shirou wasn't making much of it.

_Huh... was this what my situation looked like? No wonder that guy found it so funny..._

"We haven't been introduced, right? I'm Kusanagi Godou. The de- er, the blonde is Erica Blandelli. Don't listen to what she says, we're not really lovers or anything..."

Shirou saw how uncomfortable Godou was, so he decided to spare him some of the trouble. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Godou-san. I'm-"

"You're Emiya Shirou!"

Godou sighed. "Shizuka..."

Shirou blinked, and then smiled. "Yes. And you are...?"

"This is my sister, Shizuka. Shizuka, don't be like Erica now. Show some respect for your Senpai."

Shizuka blushed and then gave a curt bow. "S-sorry. It's nice to meet you, Emiya-senpai!"

"It's nice to meet you as well, Shizuka-san."

* * *

Godou had been an interesting character, as well as the other girls he knew. It felt weird seeing his situation, since it paralleled what Shirou had gone through quite a bit, but at the same time it was amusing.

Though being ousted as a 'prodigy' and 'genius' by Shizuka had been a bit bothersome. He had been hoping to finally meet someone without that hanging over his head for once...

Still, it had been an enjoyable lunch. There was something off about Godou though. Nothing bad, just an odd sense of... something, that Shirou couldn't quite place-

"Ah, you're here, Emiya."

Shirou was brought out of his thoughts by a masculine voice.

"Punctual as always, hm?"

The Copenhagen. A bar down in Roppongi, and where this world's Emiya Shirou had gotten a job before Shirou took over. The man who addressed him was Hotaruzuka-san, a suave, middle-aged man with brown hair and a neatly trimmed mustache.

"Of course, Hotaruzuka-san."

The Master of Copenhagen nodded and waved him inside.

It was five, a few hours after school had ended, and a few hours before the real rush would start.

"Come on in then. Otoko needs help moving some of the boxes as usual..."

* * *

Shirou was walking home. After a few hours, Hotaruzuka-san thanked Shirou for the hard work and sent him home with his wages, as always. There wasn't much he could do, anyway, other than move inventory.

In any case, Shirou was walking home. His apartment was in one of the high-rise buildings in this district, so it wasn't much of a walk. It had surprised him that he lived in such a luxurious setting for the first few days, but then he remembered that the old Emiya-residence could have been used as an inn with all the space it had.

...It was raining. A storm had picked up sometime during the night.

"...I don't like this."

It was odd. There hadn't been anything about it in the forecast today. And then there was the fact that there weren't any cars around. In harsh weather like this, he would have expected at least a few, as the late-night enthusiasts rushed home to avoid it.

A feeling of déjà-vu. The last time something like this happened, Shirou walking home after staying late helping out, there had been-

A howl cut through the sound of rain, one soon joined by others. An unearthly call of a blood-thirsty predator roaming the night. Of an unnatural monster that yearned for violence, for death.

In front of him, running across the intersection, was a pack of giant wolves, all with eyes the color of blood and with foaming maws. Most ran past him, chasing an unknown target in the distance, but a few broke off their pursuit and turned their attention to him.

Shirou sighed, but he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. "I should have known that 'Emiya Shirou' couldn't live an ordinary life."

The wolves charged-

"Trace, on."

-and a Champion stood his ground.

* * *

A/N: Mostly setting things up, a bit of world-building. I'm still getting a handle on the characters and world of Campione, so forgive me if things seem a bit off.

Anyway, here's something for now to get you all excited... while I go figure out the rest of the plot now that the obligatory setup and introductions to the main cast has been made.

Thanks for reading, and remember to leave a review! It helps me refine the story a lot, especially in the case of one like this where I'm still a tad unfamiliar with the verse.

* * *

**Guest Review Replies**

(In the future, I would like to ask any anonymous reviewers to leave a name other than "Guest" to aid me in organizing these response. It can even be something like Guest1)

C: Glad you're enjoying it so far!

Eh: No, he isn't the 6th anymore. That was entrusted to the body and SWORD he left behind to protect them. As for running everyone over... well, that wouldn't be as much fun, would it?

Lone Gundam: Haha, you'll have to thank the guest who pointed it out, but I'm glad you're enjoying it.

alpha95: Yep. The soul is both infinite and finite, and what remained after creating the SWORD is what makes up the TRUE Shirou's soul. Well, that and the soul of the 'Emiya Shirou' whose body he took over. As for a happy ending, I'll do my best for that. Though I'm still puzzled on how to progress it. Need to go look at the five stages of grief again...

Guest (That guy): YOU! Take all my hate and all my cookies. You're the reason I started my trudge through the barely legible translations of Campione! so I hope you appreciate the effort, dammit. XD

That guy: Your ideas are noted, and I'll think about them more when I get more context.

dark: XD

Guest: He can make Noble Phantasms with some preparation once he figures out how to do it again, bring out the divinity in any grimoires, as well as have two Authorities from Angra Mainyu. He's also got his insane magic circuits and capacity, but he can't utilize it to its full potential considering his lack of training. Reinforcement is possible, but he doesn't know the limits of his body yet. Projection is also possible, and likely, but he can't quite 'fill' what he projects anymore, at least until he figures out the difference.

someone: Right now, no. In the future... maybe?

Guest(I think you're different from that guy?): Maybe?

Guest(I think you're different from the others?): Well... considering that Minaka was a Magus, and Shirou was Minato, I'd think that was obvious? It's definitely a farcry from the actual manga.

Guest(are you different too?): He'll be making weapons still, but what it means by missing the reality marble is that it's 'different' from what the SWORD has, and Shirou has realized what it is yet.

Guest(See how this is confusing for me?): Indeed, I'm going to valiantly write all the stories I can as I attempt to manifest "Infinite World Creation". As for NaNoWriMo, it's national novel writing month, where the goal is to write a 50000 word story in the span of the 30 days in November. As for chapter length, I'll be writing that much a week, but the actual chapter release date may vary depending on how the scenes fall.

Guest(I'll call you Ace): True, but we'll be getting that anyway since Shirou's older. (To be honest, I tried making him a college student, but my mind was running dry on ideas for that avenue)

Guest: We'll see.

Guest (I think you're the same person): See above response.

Guest: I'm thinking about that, actually. The whole idea of Shirou being a Campione and fighting Heretic Gods while remaining anonymous is kind of appealing.

Guest: Yep, I took a bit of a liberty in that aspect. I did show the strengthening part a bit though when Kirito first used Excaliber. And do I have plans for release recollection? Oh yes... yes I do. Especially if he uses it on a grimoire or Divine item... hehehe.

Guest: They weren't boosted even further, but rather obtained the characteristic 'Regression to the Age of Gods', which I think are the types of circuits Campiones have anyway. It doesn't mean much in the long run, since his magic capacity is already obscene, and the magic system of Campione is different anyway.

Guest: Glad that you are!

Guest: How is he going to carry all the swords he makes? That is a good question. As for whether he can make things other than swords, yes. And other sacred arts, no since there's going to be plenty of Authorities to diversify his skill set.

Guest: Well, this is a sequel to one of my other stories, "A Different Path", so an answer can be found there, at the bottom of Chapter 10. Though if you don't want to read that, in short it's the 'Domain of Reality', or the 'Theory of Everything' that allows for the manipulation of all existance. Using it in its full capacity as a human without an 'anchor' to reality causes the person to 'ascend' to the role of the Creator.

Guest: Thanks for trying to help out. I should probably make that clear at some point so that people won't get confused...

That guy: Well, to be honest that's how far I was at the time in the Light Novels, and when I read how despicable a charcter Voban was, I just knew that Shirou would clash spectacularly against that Devil King, so started it off there. He won't be able to just steamroll Voban though. Campiones *are* people who can regularly clash with the equivalence of Heroic Spirits/pseudo-Divine Spirits on a regular basis, after all...


	3. The Devil King

**Chapter 2: The Devil King**

Shirou straightened, his hands kept loose at his sides and holding the hilts of swords that didn't yet exist.

There were four of those unnatural wolves bounding towards him. The aura they gave off wasn't unlike the corrupted monsters he had fought before. A feral intelligence, wanting nothing more than to maim, kill, and devour.

An imperceptible sound, and steel appeared in what were once empty hands. Twin blades, black in his left and white in his right, paralleling his sins of life and death. A design inherited from 'himself' in the future, and in a path he never chose.

-Flawed. They had nowhere near the power of the married swords Kanshou and Bakuya that he remembered. Though the shapes were similar, the stance he took familiar, it was nothing more than a pale imitation of the memories he had of 'EMIYA'.

Shirou couldn't remember the history. The image was vague, and the process blurred. Even so, that guy had used it to slay a creature even more monstrous than the wolves approaching him.

For these wolves, even a hollow mimicry would do.

The first wolf attacked with a lunge, its jaw opened to reveal wickedly sharp fangs. Fast, a charge that an ordinary human couldn't hope to match.

But it was still too slow.

A dance in the rain, a mind of steel, and a body reinforced beyond human limits. Shirou stepped forward and Kanshou cut through the night air, splitting the wolf in half along its entire length, starting from the jaw.

The sound of shattering glass. The black curved sword that Shirou projected broke, vanishing with a small display of light. But he didn't pay any attention to it, turning his gaze instead on the next enemy.

Another wolf, already on the move. This one bounded forward with gleaming claws raised to pierce Shirou's skin and knock him down.

Shirou stepped forward again, twisting his body to bring Bakuya up in a rising slash.

Like its brethren, that wolf was split in half and returned to shadows.

Again, the sound of shattering glass. The imperfect Bakuya broke in that last attack, leaving Shirou without a weapon.

The last two wolves noticed his lack of swords and attacked as one, an attack from high and low.

But his counterattack had yet to finish. With his hand held above his head, a new sword was formed and Shirou stepped forward.

A massive stone blade, cracked and splintered from the flawed image he possessed of it, reinforced to maintain its form for a single strike.

Grabbing the fake axesword with both hands, Shirou swung it down with blinding speed, utterly decimating the two wolves and tearing apart a portion of the asphalt.

Like his other projections, the axesword also shattered, leaving behind only a soft splash of light as evidence of its existence.

Shirou straightened, now that the immediate danger was gone, and winced as a wave of pain passed through his body, like the feeling of small cuts across his skin. "Too much that time... I'm getting closer though."

He still couldn't perform reinforcement like he used to, but he was getting there, unlike the first time he had tried.

That memory brought a grimace to Shirou's face. If it wasn't for the fact that this new body of his had abnormal healing abilities and durability, he would have died the same night he got to start his new life. Feeling your body burn up and your veins feel like they were filled with fire definitely wasn't something Shirou wanted to repeat.

There was the sound of a car spinning out, and an explosion in the distance. In the dark and stormy night, Shirou saw the light of a fire, and heard the screams of the wounded, though it was muffled under the heavy rain.

A cool clarity, obtained by a focus honed with a mind of steel. "It looks like I'm not done yet."

It had seemed like the wolves were focusing on pursuing a particular target, but Shirou realized that wasn't quite true. They were also striving to wreak as much destruction as possible, and would go out of their way to harm the innocent.

Shirou couldn't allow that. Even if he didn't follow the ideal of 'saving everyone' seeing the cost and hypocrisy in pursuing that dream... _It's not wrong to want to save someone._ And in that moment, at that time, there were people that needed him to save them.

He was standing in the middle of the road, having moved from the sidewalk he had been walking on. The intersection was before him, and the pack of wolves had run to the left, moving deeper into the depths of the city.

Along either side of him were towering buildings, the auspicious constructs that gave way to Tokyo's success.

He couldn't see anything from down here. Trying to chase the wolves in this weather wouldn't be possible, not unless he wanted to risk crashing into a building while he ran after them. No, the best place to be would be...

"The rooftops, huh? Geez, even after all this time, Rin's still helping me out with her ideas..."

It reminded him of how Rin had told him she used the rooftops to scout out Fuyuki during the war, jumping from building to building to cover ground, and that one time he saw her doing that.

He wiped away the brief smile that memory gave him and focused, turning his attention inward. He needed to get to the roof. Entering the building wasn't an option, so he had to climb it. But a human body couldn't do that, at least not anytime soon. So he needed to go past that, reinforcing his body to a level that would give him both the agility and ability to ascend.

His circuits flared, and the rain splashing against his skin turned to steam upon contact-

"Hah!"

-and Shirou broke off into a sprint, leaping at the side of a building. The moment he touched it, he kicked off, heading towards another building's wall. A series of flips and bounds, ending with him standing on the roof of a building top, and giving him a bird's eye view of the surroundings.

It was the neighborhood of the Roppongi district. That was where a majority of the wolves were converging, ironically not far from the apartment complex that Shirou lived. But that wasn't what concerned him. No, it was the sight of ruined cars upon the highway, the wrecks and wounded bodies belonging to those who had only wanted to return home.

And prowling among the scene of devastation were more of those feral creatures, malevolent monsters that Shirou had to _end._

He wasn't Archer. Even if he possessed the same potential, he had focused on close combat both in the war and as a hobby. While that guy could probably take out the wolves from this distance, at least half a kilometer, with a bow and arrow, Shirou couldn't-

"Trace... on. Freeze out. Continuous projected fire."

-But then again, he didn't need to.

It will hit. Though Shirou couldn't kill them with a bow and arrow like Archer could, as he didn't have the capability to create that equipment yet, the principle remained the same. Deciding the outcome before the firing, and calming the mind with the act as only a courtesy to the world. That was the ideal of the Archery that Emiya Shirou had learned, and though he didn't use a bow, what he fired were 'arrows', all the same.

Steel swords, reinforced to a level such that they could hold their own against a Noble Phantasm for at least a single strike, cut through the rain. Gleaming like silver light amidst the dark water falling from the sky, they skewered those monsters where they were, returning them into the shadows.

It was a small solace. Wounded as those people were, it was likely that they would die from blood loss or other complications within the hour. Shirou himself didn't know any healing magic, so he couldn't do any more for them even if he wanted to.

But he had given them a chance, and from the flashing emergency lights coming down the interstate in the distance, it seemed that a chance would be all they needed.

With that done, he turned his attention back to the source of all the trouble, and the target of the creatures that were so malevolent. The pack of wolves were headed towards an elementary school, and it looked like their target was-

"Hold on... isn't that Godou and his friends...?"

Godou and the two girls, Erica and Yuri, were standing at the playground.

Erica, the blonde foreigner, was dressed in a red blouse and skirt, though the skirt was torn at the sides. Judging from the divine silver rapier in her right hand, the damage to her outfit hadn't been an accident, but more likely a practical decision.

Yuri was dressed in a shrine maiden's outfit, and stood close to Godou. Even so, her body language was hesitant, awkward, as if expecting Godou to protect her, and yet not wanting him to do so.

Godou himself was calm- no, not calm. Shirou's underclassman was expectant, waiting with a self-assured posture that was cautious, and yet unfearing.

All in all, it looked like Shirou wasn't the only 'abnormal' person in this world. Those three looked like they were used to these types of situation, and weren't panicking like an ordinary person unaware of the hidden aspects of the world would. Shirou probably didn't even need to be here, truthfully, as it was clear whatever was going on had those three at the root of it. It was none of his business, and interfering would likely result in more harm than good. Even so... _What kind of Senpai would I be if I left my underclassmen to deal with this alone?_

The pack of giant wolves had finally reached the playground, and slowly circled the three younger students, as a predator before prey.

They were outnumbered, with about thirty or forty wolves to their three.

_In that case... let's even the odds._

His twenty seven circuits flared once more, and a rain of steel joined the drops of water in the air.

As one, the pack of wolves were slain, with steel swords to mark their deaths.

* * *

"What?" The one who had spoken was the usually composed Erica.

Godou was just as surprised.

It had been a tense situation, and the odds were heavily against them. While he could have used the 'Boar' to blow the wolves away, he couldn't afford to if he wanted a chance of victory against that older devil king, Voban.

Erica had been ready to fight, and was a moment away from incanting the spell words to change Cuore di Leone and attack, to even the odds a little by slaying some of the wolves, when there had been a literal rain of steel.

Swords. One, two, three... a dozen, two. It was an onslaught of steel to which the wolves had no defense, so sudden and unexpected that they died in mid-prowl.

But they weren't ordinary swords either. Only a few moments after the last of the wolves disappeared, they too faded, vanishing with only the slightest display of light to show that they had once existed.

"...Erica," Godou said, his eyes still locked on where the swords had been. "That wasn't you... was it?"

The knight shook her head, her own eyes scanning the night sky. "No, Godou. That attack was not my own. It appears that someone has chosen to interfere in this conflict between you and Marquis Voban."

Godou frowned. "But didn't you say that only another Campione could dare oppose a Campione?"

Erica nodded. "Indeed, Godou, that is the truth. Even so, it appears that one so foolish to do so has appeared."

There was a moment of deathly silence, where the rain itself came to a halt. A moment of eerie calm, where it seemed like the world itself had grown still.

"Well, boy. It appears that a fool has joined our little game." Voban's voice echoed through the night, easily carrying across the unearthly silence. "A competent fool, as they managed to slay my hunting hounds, but a fool nonetheless."

Lightning struck, and Voban appeared in front of them. The elderly devil king looked every part of his malevolent history, as if a demonic tyrant spawned from the darkness, and stepped towards Godou.

Voban smiled, a cruel expression befitting a true predator. "No matter. It will only be a matter of time before they, too, are added to my Dead Servants."

At those words, a veritable army of undead warriors appeared. An army of the knights and mages that Voban had slain and bound to himself, cursing their souls to an eternity of servitude to the devil king they had opposed.

"Now... shall we continue?"


	4. To Slay a King

**Chapter 3: To Slay a King**

Shirou narrowed his eyes. As expected, Godou and his friends were surprised and wary after he had killed the wolves with his swords.

What was unexpected was the old man that appeared out of the shadows in front of them.

-Dangerous. Even at this distance, Shirou could tell that man was dangerous. His demeanor spoke of one accustomed to victory, of an apex predator that would not be denied his prey. But that didn't concern him, so much as the malevolent aura of _power_ that he radiated.

It was familiar. The Servants in the Holy Grail War had a similar presence. But they had been Heroic Spirits, beings beyond humanity, those who had either ascended to the Throne of Heroes or were Divine Spirits to begin with but fallen from grace.

This man was neither. Shirou could tell that much from a single glance. He was human, and yet not human, possessing a power equal to those beyond humanity.

The man casually glanced behind him, as if looking at the weather. A simple gesture that could have been written off as coincidence, if not for the fact that those eyes narrowed the moment Shirou met his gaze-

_What?_

The man had turned his attention back to Godou, but something was wrong.

A sluggish feeling in Shirou's veins, an invasion of his body that instantly took hold. He could feel portions of his body hardening, changing into something else.

On instinct, he sent prana to the affected areas and felt the effect fade.

A brief analysis showed no lasting damage, but the sudden attack left Shirou wary. Those had been mystic eyes, and they had been strong enough to bypass his magic resistance, which Shirou knew was incredibly high due to his changed magic circuits. It had only been brief and easily repelled when he realized what was happening, but to do so at such a distance... _Looks like I was wrong about this world after all._

There were magi. Monsters in the dark, and those who would harm ordinary people who wanted nothing more than to live their lives. And the man in front of Godou was likely one of the worst-

His mind froze when he turned his attention back to the scene in front of him.

An army. Undead souls, bound against their will. Mages, warriors, fighters... even regular people who just happened to have extraordinary abilities. A legion of the dead, damned to a life of servitude.

The man was standing there, haughty, arrogant. Behind him were countless souls, bound to his will and forced to obey his every whim.

It was wrong.

It was _wrong._

Shirou could tell at a glance. What that man had done was a subversion of the World, a feat that went against the common sense saying that those who die remain dead. That those departed from this world have their souls freed from their body and returned to the Origin where they start again with the cycle of reincarnation.

It was_ WRONG_.

Those who were not saved, and those who wanted to save others. Dreams, desires, wishes cut short at the hand of that man standing in front of Godou, that demon in human skin.

_Save them_.

They were those who could no longer be saved, cursed to a fate worse than death at the hands of the one they defied.

_SAVE THEM._

Shirou was moving before he realized it, Kanshou and Bakuya already in his hands, ready to end the _monster_ in front of him-

"So you are the one intruding upon the King's game."

A female voice from behind. The sound of it was enough to bring Shirou back to the situation at hand, and he turned, alert for any danger.

A girl, around his age, or slightly younger. Silver hair, blue eyes. She wore a light blue cloak, clasped with a buckle bearing the emblem of a sideways silver cross. Beneath that was a black tunic with a matching black skirt, and a pair of black boots. And in her hand, a silver saber, blessed with divinity like the rapier Erica wielded.

"...Do you have a death wish?" Her face was sincere, and she was genuinely confused at his actions. "Marquis Voban cannot be denied. All of those who have... they become another of his Dead Servants."

Shirou was silent for a moment, but then said, "So that's how it is..."

He could see it. The only reason a girl like the one before him would serve a man like that. It was not by choice, but rather a result of lacking the strength to oppose him. Of seeing the end of those who had, and relinquishing all hope.

The girl must have mistaken his words as a sign of surrender. "Indeed, that is how it is. And now that you have interfered, I have no choice but to- Hey!"

She shouted in indignation, but Shirou couldn't hear it. The moment he had realized it, that the man below was the worst type of human and responsible for so much suffering, he had left.

...He would SAVE them.

* * *

Erica was on the run. Godou and Mariya Yuri should be safe, the youngest Campione having used his Raptor Authority to escape. As for Erica herself, using her 'Leap' magic, she ran across the rooftops, evading her deathly pursuers.

-Dead Servants. Those were her pursuers. The damned souls of the ones that once opposed the oldest Devil King, souls now bound for an eternity of servitude under the same person they had opposed.

It was inevitable. A human cannot stand against a god. How could they hope to stand against a Campione, the Devil King that slays the unslayable?

...So who was the mysterious individual choosing to do just that?

There should have been no one else. Godou, Mariya Yuri, herself, Voban, and Liliana. Those were the only ones who should have been involved in this 'game'. But someone had interfered, was still interfering.

-A flash of black and white, swerving around her in arcs, and then the blur of a figure rushing past her.

Surprised, she spun around, only to see the four Dead Servants in immediate pursuit vanish, the two in front felled by an explosion of steel shrapnel, and the two in back cut down by the mysterious figure.

"What in God's name...?"

A mysterious figure with silver hair. That was the only thing she could discern about the person who had slain her pursuers, who had easily cut down the four Dead Servants that had once been Great Knights in their lives with a single attack, before they vanished from her gaze.

There was the sound of explosions in the distance, and sparks filling the dark rainy night, but the one who caused that was nowhere to be seen.

"A heretic god perhaps? Drawn to the clash of kings?" Erica muttered.

She didn't even entertain the possibility of it being a human. Even the greatest of mages could not have moved at that speed.

"I said stop- oh. So there's another rat scurrying around in the night."

It was Liliana. The other female knight was flying in the air amidst the strong winds, showing her mastery of flying magic.

Erica smiled. "And it seems you have finally decided to spread your wings, Lily. Have you had enough of that king's company to at last take flight?"

Liliana looked like she was about to reply, but then shook her head. "I've no time for this. I'll deal with you later, Erica Blandelli! Do not think that I will forget your slanderous words!" With that said, she rushed past Erica, not even casting a second glance back.

Odd. For the hot-headed and honorable Liliana to disregard Erica, it must be something serious.

Erica hesitated for a moment longer, but then turned around and raced after Liliana.

* * *

_Save them._

The words like a war drum, echoing in Shirou's mind, spurring him onwards.

He was running, racing through the wet streets. Around him were the _(deadtorturedmurdered)_ souls that were bound to that man, that 'Marquis Voban'.

_Save them._

Mages, warriors, knights. Ranging from the elderly to those only out of middle school. It was unforgiveable.

Kanshou and Bakuya cut through the night, continuously shattering and continuously reforming as Shirou freed the earthbound souls from their physical form.

_Save them._

It was temporary. He couldn't save them like that, not without killing the one who held their souls in his hands.

Frustration. They were those that couldn't be saved, those who wanted to save, and failed. They were the ones who had no one to protect them, who wanted to protect someone.

_Save them._

Steam. His body was hot, his blood burning as his magic circuits flared to keep up his furious pace.

Faster, stronger. He couldn't allow this blasphemy to remain for even another second, another instant.

_Save them._

Run. Throw. Project. Dodge. Slash. Parry. Stab.

A cycle of death and undeath. Those he cut down returned moments later, their Master calling them to fight without end.

_Save them._

Voban had moved, and now wolves emerged to join the legion of dead. It didn't matter. They were nothing compared to what he had encountered in the past, and with his body reinforced as it was, with his blades as reinforced as they were, Shirou cut them all down.

He stepped onto the street where Voban was standing. Roaring thunder, flashing lightning, and the continual downpour of rain. Even with the furious weather, Voban's voice was clear. "So you finally show yourself, mage."

Shirou didn't respond. Instead, he took the time to examine his foe, to find a single flaw he could exploit. Shirou could tell that this fight wouldn't be an ordinary one, and he would need every advantage he could get.

"Hmph. I will admit that you are more competent than most. Many years have passed since I encountered one that could defeat both my hunting hounds and dead servants."

...There were no openings. The elderly man before him, while old, was far from weak. His advanced age had not taken any of his strength. No, if anything they had been refined, tempered.

Voban narrowed his eyes, and again Shirou felt his body stiffen, begin to slow.

He forced prana through his circuits, in the area that he felt being affected, and the sensation faded.

"...Oho? So you did resist my 'Eyes of Sodom'." A smile, wicked and menacing. "Excellent. You will be a worthy appetizer before that upstart arrives."

Shirou waited, enduring with a mind of steel.

He didn't need to wait for long.

Voban charged, shifting into what Shirou could only call a 'werewolf', and attacked. "Show me the strength that would give you the nerve to defy a 'King'!"

* * *

Erica had followed Liliana in a scattered chase throughout the city, ending at their current location, a street in front of Tokyo Tower.

Liliana had stopped on the roof of a nearby building, and Erica used her magic to arrive at the same place.

"So you decided to land with the rest of us mortals, have you Lily?"

There was no response from the silver-haired knight. Instead, it seemed like she hadn't even heard Erica, too engrossed with something down below.

Curious, Erica turned and followed her gaze.

What she saw was impossible.

"Impossible..."

To her surprise, Erica's thought was echoed by the knight beside her. "Who is he?" Liliana said. "Who is that mage?"

It was something that could not occur.

Below them was the oldest Campione, the most wicked Devil King, Sasha Dejanstahl Voban. The Marquis that had lived over three hundred years, and hunted Heretic Gods as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Against that opponent, any mage, no matter how powerful or how well equipped, would lose.

...But the one standing before the ancient Marquis did no such thing.

Blow for blow, wound for wound. A man with silver hair and twin curved swords, black and white, faced off against Voban, who had taken on the form of the monstrous wolf he had used to devour Godou's White Stallion Authority, a silver hound over thirty meters in length.

Familiar. Erica couldn't help but feel that she should know the man below them, that mysterious mage performing the impossible feat of matching a Campione.

...Was it a mage? Those blades he used were Oriental, so he could not be a 'knight'. But they were no ordinary blades as well, shattering and reforming endlessly as they clashed against the oldest Devil King. And then there was the lack of spell words, something that should not be possible, even with a Grimoire or other magical item.

Magic was an imitation of the Campione, of the gods themselves by using sacred spell words to shape magical energy. It should not be possible for that man to reform his swords so. And even if that was an inherent aspect of the blades, the fact remained that the amount of magical energy required to reform them as he did far surpassed any amount a human should be able to maintain.

Ten times. Twenty times. A hundred. A thousand. The man's swords broke and reformed at the speed of light, and he both parried and countered the Marquis with attacks that could be said to be at 'Godspeed'.

But it wouldn't be enough. Erica could see it now. It was as she thought: impossible. A mere mortal could not hope to defeat a Campione, especially one as old as Marquis Voban. Though skilled beyond all belief, the man was losing. The wounds dealt upon the Devil King declined in number the longer they fought, while the wounds he received increased.

_It appears that Godou will be required after all._

It would have been ideal if Voban was taken care of without involving him, as Erica's own king was still far too inexperienced, but at least there was now a greater chance of victory.

She stepped to the side to make a call, ignoring her stunned knight counterpart still watching the battle below.

* * *

Godou slumped against the doors of a building. His body was in pain, his heart pounding in protest of his recent actions.

-The Raptor. It was an Authority of his that allowed superhuman speed in response to being attacked by something beyond normal human speed. He had used it to escape that old king and his Dead Servants, taking Yuri with him while Erica drew a portion of that undead army the opposite direction.

He was feeling the aftereffects of it now, the strain of pushing his body beyond normal limits and resulting pain. But it was fading.

Yuri's concern went a long way in helping with that, as well as the fact that the ones they were fleeing had long since disappeared, allowing Godou to rest.

The pair had taken shelter beneath the entrance to a public recreation center, waiting for Erica to call. They had already found a possible counter for Voban's Authorities, so the only thing left to do was wait for her call.

...It was slightly worrying that she hadn't yet, as over half an hour had passed, but all he could do was hope that the worst had not come to pass.

"...Void? Was it the void? No... that is not an accurate representation. Not void, but false? A lack? Lacking..."

Godou blinked. "Did you say something Mariya?"

"Ah." Yuri flushed, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Godou-san. I did not mean to disturb your rest."

"No, it's fine. What were you saying?"

Yuri was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Do you remember the blades that fell from the sky and slayed Marquis Voban's wolves?"

Godou nodded. How could he forget? Those swords had been a godsend, as they had been severely outnumbered. He hadn't fancied the odds they would have been facing, even knowing how skilled Erica was, as well as the strength of his own Authorities.

Yuri frowned. "There was something about them... I do not know exactly what, but there was something about those blades that were not normal."

"...Wasn't that obvious in the way they disappeared afterwards?" That had been strange, but nothing too strange. Erica's rapier could turn into giant steel lions, after all.

Yuri shook her head. "No... it was not that. It was... do you know of the nature of magic, Godou-san?"

"It's supposed to be an imitation of our Authorities or something, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. Using sacred spell words to enact a mystery, humans are able to use magic through borrowing the divinity of the gods. A Divine miracle granted by reciting prayers to the gods... that is what magic is. But those swords... they had been magic, and yet they held no divinity."

Yuri's frown deepened. "Yet... that is also not accurate. A divinity that is not divine. Magic that is not magic. Swords that are not swords... It is frustrating. The answer is there, but not there. A void that is not a void..."

"Er..."

Godou didn't know what to say in response to that.

"Ah..." Yuri sighed. "Do not mind me, Godou-san. It is likely nothing after all."

His phone rang, startling both of them. After a glance at the caller ID, Godou picked it up. "Erica? You're safe, right? ...A lot happened? Wait, someone's fighting that guy... and matching him? That's good... right? No? What do you mean I still have to fight?! If that guy's matching Voban... oh. Fine, fine. Yeah, I'll get ready. I lo- wait, what are you trying to make me say, you devil- tch. She hung up."

Godou sighed. "Erica... she really doesn't have a sense for those kinds of things, does she...?" He shook his head and turned towards Yuri. "We'll be heading out soon, Mariya. Someone's fighting that old king, but it looks like they won't hold out for much longer."

Yuri nodded. "I understand, Godou-san. I shall prepa-"

"...Mariya?"

The shrine maiden had suddenly stopped talking and looked off in the distance, her gaze solemn and hollow at the same time. "A king, a hero, a lord. One who saves, and one who was saved. Behold, the true Evil awakens before the gaze of the Tyrant King."

Godou froze. A warning? Or perhaps a sign of what was to come?

Yuri's gaze suddenly focused, and was turned on Godou. "Beware, King. Fate shattered, a new path opened. Beware, the King, the End, the rend."

She blinked, and the otherworldly presence she held vanished. "...Godou-san? Are you alright? You seem pale..."

"Ah... it's nothing, Mariya."

She frowned. "Did I... what did I say?"

Godou smiled, though it seemed forced. "It was nothing important, Mariya-san. Don't worry about it."

Before she could say anything else, a familiar voice sounded out, as if drifting along the wind.

_—Kusanagi Godou! Your knight calls for you. Please descend once again, and fulfill your obligations as king!_

There would be time to think about those words later. Right then and there, Godou had to save Yuri. And to do that, they had to beat Voban.

He held out his hand. "Are you ready, Mariya?"

The shrine maiden nodded, a small smile on her face, and grabbed his hand. "I am."

"Let's go. We've got an old man to beat."

* * *

Shirou's body was burning. Both from prolonged reinforcement and from the cuts all over his body.

A monster. The one he was fighting was more of a monster than any he had fought in the past. A towering body, one with strength only slightly below Berserker, agility only slightly below Lancer, and skill in combat equal to any Servant.

If it had been the him from before this life, Shirou could have beaten him. Could have slain the monster and saved the souls he bound. But he was different now, weaker.

His wounds were shallow, but the blood made fighting dangerous, loosening his grip and slowing his reactions. The same could be said for the one in front of him, but that monster seemed to never tire.

The towering werewolf charged yet again, and Kanshou and Bakuya rose to meet it.

A clawed hand swept towards his head, and was struck by Bakuya. The white sword shattered, but it only slightly slowed the werewolf's attack.

Shirou stepped back, avoiding having his head split open by the smallest of margins, and countered with Kanshou, advancing with a quick step and cutting upwards at the werewolf's exposed chest.

Slow. That body of his wasn't used to prolonged reinforcement, especially the imperfect version he was using, and had slowed down. The attack that should have carved open the werewolf's chest was easily parried, Kanshou shattering as a large paw knocked it aside.

He was defenseless, and the werewolf knew it. That man turned wolf saw how Shirou had slowed and knew that Shirou wouldn't be able to avoid another attack without being grievously wounded. Swords could be in his hands at any moment, but the quality had been rapidly declining as the battle went on, the precision of his already vague images fading as he continued to use them.

...Just as planned.

Shirou held up his left arm, blocking his face as if it would help him avoid being wounded.

The werewolf charged, maw opened to finish the battle-

"Trace, on."

-and Shirou spoke his first words in that fight.

A firing hammer raised in his head. Recollection of the skill he had used multiple times, one associated with a certain stone blade. Taking aim at the nine targets, he stepped forward, meeting the monster's charge with one of his own.

"Nine Lives Bladeworks."

An unexpected counter. Voban had no time to dodge the attack. He couldn't, even if he had the time. A technique created by Herakles to slay the hundred headed Hydra, modified to suit the way of the sword... though Shirou couldn't fully replicate it with his current body, it was still more than enough for the one in front of him.

The battle was over. The monster had been slain.

Shirou let out a sigh and his projected weapon vanished with sound of shattering glass-

"Impressive."

Gathering mana in the air. Danger.

Shirou leapt back, just before he was struck by a bolt of lightning.

In front of him, Voban was still standing.

_Resurrection?!_

The old man looked slightly worn, but other than that he seemed fit for battle.

Shirou on the other hand had put everything he had in that last strike. His body was already protesting his abuse of reinforcement magic and the mental strain of continuously projecting his swords was getting to him.

A wicked grin upon the old man's face.

"It has been many years since the last time one has pushed me this far... For one not a god or a Campione, you are impressive, mage. Yes... with fangs as sharp as those, you will make a fine addition to my Servants."

He had underestimated his opponent. Shirou had battled with every unfair ounce he had at his disposal, but it wasn't enough. It should have been enough, even against Heroic Spirits. But that man in front of him... he seemed to defy that logic.

_...Just like me, huh?_

Shirou should have realized it the moment he fought him. Someone who had gone beyond the World, seizing power beyond Humanity's grasp. Going beyond the natural order to make the impossible possible. Though their motivations and origins differed, Shirou's opponent was someone who had performed something similar to himself, to achieve a 'Miracle' with hands that should not have been able to grasp it.

Against someone like that, while he didn't possess his full powers, a loss was inevitable. _Even so..._

He couldn't fall here.

_Save them._

There was something inside of him telling him that he couldn't lose.

_Save them._

That he could win, no matter how dire the circumstances were.

_Save them._

He couldn't allow it. Those who wished to be saved, those who would not be saved if he fell. It was unforgiveable.

Someone laughed. "Yes! That fire in your eyes... that defiance in the face of the inevitable! Excellent! I will enjoy sundering your life from your body, mage!"

A raised hand, gathering fire in the air...

_O Creator... how shall they be saved? _

Words echoing in his soul, the _Authority_ to cut down the one in front of him, who had inflicted so much pain and suffering upon those who did not deserve it.

_O Creator, who shall stand by the corpse, in a distant place, upon a wild spot?_

Whose malevolence could be said to be pure evil. Whose pride had driven him to harm innocents, all for the thrill of the fight, all for the power to hunt, to oppress.

_O Creator..._

But before they finished, a voice called out.

_—Kusanagi Godou! Your knight calls for you. Please descend once again, and fulfill your obligations as king!_

"Hm? Tch, it looks like that boy and his knight finally decided to show themselves."

A gust of wind, and then another party arrived. Kusanagi Godou, Mariya Yuri, and Erica Blandelli.

* * *

Godou glanced at the man behind him. Silver hair, matching clothes, and a body that looked trained for combat. _So that's the one who helped us?_

He looked to be in rough shape. His clothes were torn, blood dripped from wounds all over his body, and he looked on the verge of collapse.

Seeing that made him mad. It was supposed to be a battle between Campione. It had already been bad enough to have Erica fighting for his sake, but for someone unrelated to be involved just because he was too weak...

"Mariya. That man... could you heal him?"

The shrine maiden nodded. "As your will, Godou-san."

He ignored Yuri's troublesome words and focused on the one in front of him.

It seemed that the old man had gotten rid of his wolves and undead servants in the fight against that silver-haired man. That was both fortunate and unfortunate. His 'Sword' had been forged to cut the divinity behind those Authorities, not the ones he was using at the moment.

Godou tensed. He had already used the Raptor, Tempest, Bull, and White Stallion. The Warrior was supposed to be his trump card, but it seemed that Voban had decided to use some of his other Authorities instead, so it wouldn't work.

"Worry not, Godou." Erica's soft words gave him a measure of calm. "I believe in you. Marquis Voban has already fallen once by that mage. Victory, once distant, is now within your grasp."

He nodded. _Still... what am I supposed to do about that ominous thing?_

A gathering of flames, red fire that looked hot enough to incinerate all of Tokyo. Godou might be able to survive that by using the Ram, but for the others... No. There was something he could do. Even in a situation as dire as this, 'Victory' was assured. He just had to find the path, the Authority that would let him win-

"Boy. I have changed my mind."

-and then the old king said something unbelievable.

"...What?"

Voban smiled. "Fortunately for you, I have found a new prey, one that sated my thirst for battle. You may leave."

Dead silence.

Erica was the one to break it. "...You would allow us to leave now, after declaring us to be the prey of your 'hunt'?"

Voban's smile turned into a grin, an expression like a predator baring their fangs. "Make no mistake, knight. That young king of yours is still my prey... but I am willing to allow him a reprieve to hone his claws. Now, begone before I change my mind."

An unbelievable outcome. After all of that, Voban was just willing to let them go?

Godou would be lying to say he wasn't relieved. But...

"I refuse."

As much as he wanted to leave, that man behind them... he couldn't. Though Godou didn't know the man's motive for fighting Voban, he did know that the man had helped them out by killing the wolves earlier. He had also cut down the dead servants pursuing Erica, so that put him on the good side in his book.

"...So be it. A pity that I will not be able to fight you at your best, Kusanagi Godou. But rest assured that your abilities shall not languish as one of my servants."

The old king clenched his raised hand in a fist, the flames gathering above condensing into an orb.

...There was something he could use. Though Godou wasn't sure if it would be enough, he could use the Boar to attack. Voban was standing in front of Tokyo Tower, which fulfilled the activation requirements of the Authority.

Voban could dodge it, and the tower could be destroyed, but Godou had a feeling that would happen regardless if he didn't stop the old king then and there.

"This is my boast of victory over the gods, the paean of my strength!"

Godou raised his own arm in a challenge against the oldest Devil King.

"The Boar shall ravage you! The Boar shall exterminate you!"

Voban swung his arm down, as if smashing the air in front of him with a clenched fist. "I declare, those who stand before me shall perish! Burn in the flames of hell!"

* * *

He wasn't thinking straight. Shirou's mind was jumbled, his thoughts scattered. Fatigue, as well as _something_ calling out to him causing him to lose his focus.

_Save them._

An oath. A right. An Authority to end the Evil in his sights.

Someone was in front of him. A young girl with black hair with a brown tint, dressed as a shrine maiden. "Please relax, sir. I'll treat your wounds-"

He shook his head. Not while that man still lived, not while there were still those he needed to save.

The girl frowned. "Please sir, you're severely wounded! Just allow me to treat your wounds, and then you can move!"

_Ah._ He remembered. She was Yuri. Mariya Yuri, his underclassman.

Mariya Yuri... Godou... Erica. They were in danger. They were in danger, but they were still fighting. The younger boy was standing in front of Voban, with Erica at his side.

"...Why is he fighting?"

"Eh?" Yuri frowned. "Do you mean Godou-san?"

Shirou nodded.

It was important. The reason...

Yuri glanced at the young boy. "He had wished to protect me from Marquis Voban. To save me from the oldest devil king." She looked up at the gathering flames and then sighed, a resigned expression. "But it looks like it was futile."

Futility.

To protect, to save. Failing at that.

A malevolent opponent. Sinful pride.

One who has inflicted harm upon the innocent.

Godou defied the old king with a divine boar, but it was slain with heavenly fire, flames that would burn all but their Lord, the one who had summoned them from above.

_O Creator... I shall bear their sins, the mark of all evil..._

Shirou ran past Yuri, his hand raised in opposition to the falling flames.

"Sir!"

"You-!"

He ignored the surprised cries, pushing Godou aside to bear the brunt of the fire himself.

"...For I am All the Evil in this World."

Flames washed away all around them, turning the world into the hellish scene that Shirou had once witnessed in Fuyuki over ten years ago.

"...What?"

The old king was surprised. The heavenly fire under his control was usurped and changed, seized by the 'Incarnation of Evil'. A baptism of fire, distorting reality to enter a scene of purgatory itself.

Shirou stepped forward, ignoring the pain in his body, the sensation of being burned from the inside out, the outside in.

"You... are not a mage."

The old king narrowed his eyes. "That power... I see. Shrouded by divinity, showing me only what I have seen with my own eyes. A Campione hidden from the world itself... but that is not enough! Mere imitation cannot defeat me!"

The flames were wrenched from Shirou's control and vanished. In an instant, they were back in the rain.

"Erica... what's happening?"

"I do not know, Godou. I do not know."

Shirou ignored them, looking upon the one he had to end.

Undead warriors came into existence all around him, their master summoning them once more to fight-

A distortion. The moment they entered Shirou's vision, the curse binding them broke, the Authority to govern their souls shifting from Voban to himself.

They lowered their arms, unwilling to fight the one who had saved them from their fate, who now held Authority over their souls.

But it seemed that Voban had expected that.

Shirou felt his limbs become heavy, slowed by an unseen force. It was only a fraction of a second, barely any time at all. But in that time-

A sword pierced his chest, a divine blade held by the Devil King.

Voban grinned, not a malevolent expression, but one of pure glee. "To have forced me to use this blade... what I had used to slay my first god. You were a worthy opponent, but victory goes to the strong. And this time, that is I."

Shirou recognized it. A sword that he had once held himself. A peerless sword that once belonged to Hector of Troy, and was later given to Roland. One said to grant any three miracles to the wielder...

"Durandal. Break."

The old king commanded the indestructible blade, and Shirou's body was torn apart from the inside-out, blood splattering everywhere-

_No._

He couldn't die there. Not by something like that. Not to someone like that.

Pain. Enough to drive a man crazy. His consciousness was on the verge of fading, and his body had already shut down when the blade was thrust.

_Not like this._

He had to live on. No matter what, he had to _live_.

He had saved them. Those who could not be saved were saved by his hands. There were more who had yet to be saved, so he couldn't fall here.

Godou. Erica. Yuri. He was the only one standing between the malevolent tyrant and them. If he fell, they wouldn't be able to stop Voban. And as riled up as Voban was, he was far more likely to kill them than let them go.

_...So save them._

"You..."

"Oho? Still alive?"

Shirou grit his teeth. "You, whose existence remained. I, who Existence expelled."

Voban's eyes widened. "A spell...? No, an Authority!"

The old king pulled out Durandal from Shirou's chest, and swung it, intending to stop Shirou before he finished-

It was parried, by one of his own servants no less.

"Pain reverberating across the Void, a Wish that will never be fulfilled. Even so, pursuing that distant dream..."

"Begone!"

Voban cut down the undead opposing him in a single strike and advanced to attack Shirou.

"I am the Champion who shall deny Fate itself, who shall bear the cross of All the Evil in this World."

Durandal was swung, to sever Shirou's head-

"Behold, This Illusion."

Time froze, and Fate was rewound. Like a mirage, all the wounds upon Shirou faded, leaving his body clean and unmarked. In that same instant, Voban's body was riddled with wounds, the exact same that had been dealt to Shirou.

"Kuh-"

The old king stepped back, grabbing at the sudden hole in his chest.

Shirou stepped forward, hands raised to slash with swords that didn't yet exist.

-He had to kill him. Voban was someone that could not be left alive, the epitome of evil that a 'Defender of Justice' must oppose. But Shirou didn't have anything that could kill him. Nine Lives was the strongest attack he possessed, and that axesword was his greatest projection at the moment. Kanshou and Bakuya wouldn't work. He couldn't trace the other weapons he had seen in the past. Durandal would not deal a fatal wound.

It was a monster that stood before him, disguised in human flesh. He needed something that could cut down that monster, one who had reached the realm of the Gods. An attack that could cut down even the Divine.

_Spirit and technique, flawless and firm._

-It came to him. Words embodying the ideology of the 'Superhero' that 'Emiya Shirou' became. The style of combat he had used to save countless lives, to slay monsters like the one before him.

_Our strength pierce the mountains. Our swords split the water._

Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands, their image sharpened, enhanced.

_Our names, reaching the imperial villa. Two great men, sharing a life..._

He understood. Swords originally forged by a blacksmith for a tyrant. Blades reaching the realm of the gods through human sacrifice.

With that understanding, the blades changed, the image hardening into a reality, forged into a truth that the world could not deny.

_The two of us cannot hold 'Heaven' together._

Ganjiang and Moye. Kanshou and Bakuya. Swords forged by the order of a king, created with Human Sacrifice and reaching the realm of the Gods through it. Blades that could fell any monster in a single strike.

The swords he held weren't the ones Archer traced. They weren't the ones 'Emiya Shirou' had created to imitate the legendary blades. These were greater than that, Divine Instruments born from a desire to save, swords that echoed Shirou's own sacrifice to protect those he had loved. Splintering with his resolve, sharpened with determination, Kanshou and Bakuya cut down the Marquis Voban.

And like that, the battle was over.

* * *

An unbelievable scene.

...Godou still wasn't sure what had happened.

The Boar had been slain, burned in an instant by Voban's flames. In that moment, he had realized that he failed. That while he might survive the attack, the others wouldn't.

But then that man had run past him, shoving Godou to the side to meet the flames head-on.

There was a distortion, and then the flames were gone.

Voban had said something, and then pulled a sword to stab the man.

Godou had thought that would be the end of him, but then there was another distortion, and it was Voban who had a hole in his chest. But as if that wasn't enough, swords appeared in the man's hands, coming into existence like a sketch being filled with color.

Towering blades, black and white. Single-edged broadswords with dangerous looking spikes all across the blade, like steel feathers. They easily cut down the oldest Campione.

Blood splattering to the ground and gaping wounds in his chest. Even with those, Voban laughed. A true, gurgling laugh.

"Hah... to think that I would fall here. That there was a greater predator than myself..."

At the end of his life, the elderly Marquis looked every bit his age. "Tell me, what is your name?"

The man said something, but Godou couldn't hear it.

"****** is it? ...Very well. You have bested me, and the spoils go to the victor. ...Liliana. I know you are there."

The silver-haired girl appeared by the dying king's side.

"...Yes?"

"From this point on, he is your lord. After all, one who bested me is a fearsome beast indeed, is he not?"

Liliana glanced at the man and bowed. "...As you say, Marquis Voban."

The king turned back to the man and said, "My knight and my blade... feel free to take them, ******."

The man gave a curt nod in response, and Voban let out a long breath.

"An end like this... I suppose it is... satisfying."

With those last words, the elderly Marquis died, his body fading into sand.

For a moment, nobody moved, still stunned by the recent turn of events.

Godou was eyeing the man, ready to act if he turned his attention on either himself, Erica, or Yuri. He had saved them from Voban's attack, and didn't seem to hold anything against them... but neither did Verethragna when they first met.

A glance at Erica showed that she was also wary, her hand never straying from the hilt of Cuore di Leone.

It was the man who spoke first, letting his swords disappear and grabbing the one that Voban had left behind.

"Godou, Erica, Yuri. Are any of you hurt?"

He blinked. _How does he know our names?_

"...No, sir," Erica answered. "We are all uninjured."

The man nodded. "Good... That's good." His words were muttered absently, like he wasn't thinking about them. He turned towards Liliana. "...I saw you flying earlier. Could you take me with you?"

"A-ah. Yes. If that is what you wish."

Liliana's response was stiff, and her face was pale.

The man nodded again. "I'll be in your care then, Liliana-san. Take to the air. I'll point out where to go from there."

The rain had stopped, the sudden storm cut short with the death of the one that had called it. Because of that, the moon's light reached the ground, letting Godou finally get a close look at the man's face.

He was young. Maybe only a few years older than Godou himself. But those eyes...

A deep silver, one that couldn't have been human.

And there was something familiar about him. Like Godou should know who the man was, a name on the tip of his tongue.

Before he could figure it out, Liliana had taken to the air.

Godou started after them. "Wait!"

A hand grabbed his shoulder. He turned to see Erica shaking her head. "Godou..."

He brushed it off, and turned towards the swiftly shrinking figures in the air. "Thank you!"

They paused, and though they were far away, Godou was sure he saw the man smile.

Erica sighed. "Godou. A king should not thank a possible foe."

"Indeed, Godou-san," Yuri said. "You should be more cautious! Even if he aided us, there is the possibility that..."

The youngest Campione just shook his head in exasperation, slightly amused at their antics. But something still bothered him, the words that Yuri had said when she wasn't herself...

_True evil, huh? That guy sure doesn't seem like it..._

* * *

A battle between kings. Though Shirou was unaware of it, his rash decision to involve himself in that battle of Campione would change Fate itself, breaking the ties that had bound that reality.

News of an unknown individual killing the oldest Campione spread like wildfire across Japan, and soon the world.

The stirrings of a new Fate roused ancient gods of steel, even those slumbering for countless millennia.

A god of Light, fallen into darkness took notice and made his way to the East, curious to see the one who invoked 'All Evil'.

A god of Dark, felled by the youngest Campione expedited her plans, conferred with her colleague on this new development.

Magic societies scrambled to make sense of this subversion, of the power vacuum left by the death of the oldest and invincible Devil King.

And unnoticed by all, a Divine Sword shone, sensing the End of an Era and the need for Salvation...

* * *

A/N: Much foreshadowing! Much action! Much drama!

I definitely did not plan to write this, or work on it, but it happened regardless. In a feverish fit, I wrote this over the course of an entire day after being frustrated figuring out what to do next on the stories I was working on this week.

Surprisingly, it's not bad, and matches pretty well with what I had in mind, so there you go.

Have an early gift for Thanksgiving!

Guest replies from the last chapter will be added to the bottom of this chapter later this week, as well as a 'stat sheet' for Shirou.

Thanks for reading, and leave a review on your way out, if you would. They help refine the story, as well as my writing.

* * *

Shirou's Authorities, gained from Angra Mainyu

**Void Avesta**

_You, whose existence remained. I, who Existence expelled. Pain reverberating across the Void, a Wish that will never fulfilled. Even so, pursuing that distant dream... I am the Champion who shall deny Fate itself, who shall bear the cross of All the Evil in this World. Behold, This Illusion._

An Authority that cannot be used until all is lost. Upon the point of no return, where death is inevitable, all of the damage that Shirou has accrued is erased, and the attacks that inflicted it are returned to the opponent. As Angra Mainyu was 'expelled from creation', as well as the one who bore the burden of 'All the Evil in this World', this Authority forces the opponent to share that fate, experiencing the pain firsthand in the form of their own actions returned to them.

In addition, for a brief period of time Shirou cannot be touched by any physical attack, magic, or Authority on this World, allowing him to perform a single unobstructed attack.

It is a Curse of Retribution, fueled by enduring what would have killed any other man and allows him to turn the tides of battle in his favor. An ultimate trump that decries the fated end to rewrite creation with a lie that becomes truth.

Though powerful, there are costs to this Authority. For one, though the actual wounds may be erased, the pain is not. His greatest enemy is himself, and he must be able to surpass it each time he uses this Authority, pushing past his limits where his body should have broken down. Secondly, the knowledge of this Authority is erased with every use. It is a transient illusion, a lie binding to creation that does not exist until it does, and knowledge of it is expelled from creation after it has been called into existence. Finally, it does not guarantee success. All it does is allow Shirou one last attack, one final strike that the foe cannot avoid after being weakened. It is possible that it may be survived.

In addition to the above ability, this Authority grants a form of presence concealment.

As one 'Expelled' from the 'Creation', Shirou holds no presence due to this Authority. Coupled with his usual passive nature, this makes him feel like an ordinary person to the average observer. In addition, it prevents him from being recognized as 'Emiya Shirou' if his appearance differs enough from his established identity (Canon Shirou appearance), to the extent that his name will be unable to be heard unless he personally tells it to an individual.

Campione normally possess a distinctive Aura about them that allows even the novice mage determine their nature. Shirou possesses this as well, but it's so minimized as to be unrecognizable to one not looking for it. Gods are able to determine his nature as a Campione, as it is impossible to hide it completely, even with the use of an Authority, but they cannot gauge his powers or strength.

Because he has no 'presence', he obtains one based on a person's judgment of him, and this Authority pushes that judgment of Shirou towards marking him as someone 'irrelevant', though significant information otherwise may break through that perception. However, that requires the ability to change one's own established preconceptions as well as a conscious decision to think of him otherwise, so it is more likely that they will disregard him as 'just another average person'.

**Incarnation of Evil**

_O Creator... how shall they be saved? O Creator, who shall stand by the corpse, in a distant place, upon a wild spot? O Creator... I shall bear their sins, the mark of all evil... For I am All the Evil in this World_

A strange Authority with many restrictions for its use.

First, it may only be used against one who truly desires to inflict pain, suffering, and despair out of their own will.

Second, the opponent must have chosen a defenseless target as their victim, someone who has no way of defending themselves from their malevolence. In other words, the opponent must be so far above their victim that any resistance from the victim is futile.

Third, the victim must have had someone try to save them or protect them and failed.

Fourth, the opponent must be thought of as malevolent by at least 666 people.

Fifth, the opponent must have shown one of the seven deadly sins (lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride) in the time that Shirou has seen him.

And finally, the opponent must have harmed a person within the last 24 hours.

When these conditions have been met, Shirou permanently copies a number of the Authorities that his opponent has used against him since the beginning of their fight, based upon compatibility with his personality as well as Angra Mainyu's 'Curse', modified to suit Shirou's nature. He also obtains temporary control of any active Authorities his opponent is using, though this control may be regained by his opponent once they realize what's happening.

Attempting to activate this Authority without all of the conditions met inflicts a severe penalty upon Shirou. All of his abilities are lowered one 'rank', and he cannot access his Authorities until 'Witching Hour' comes to pass (midnight).

It is a gamble, an Authority that should be used only against someone that is truly 'Evil' and allows Shirou to take their powers into himself as the 'True Devil' that Angra Mainyu had become in their final battle.

* * *

**Parameters and Skills**

Emiya Shirou

Origin: ?

Alignment: Sword

Strength: C (B when using reinforcement. B+, when ?)

Endurance: B

Agility: C (B when using reinforcement. B+, when ?)

Mana: A++

Luck: A

Personal skills:

Eye of the Mind(True) - B: Capable of calm analysis of battle conditions even when in danger and deduce an appropriate course of action after considering all possibilities to escape from a predicament. So long there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.

Projection - C: He can project anything he can visualize, but the result will more often than not be 'hollow' due to a lack of understanding. His Reality Marble is inaccessible, being wiped clean due to the process of reincarnation, and so he cannot project a majority of the Noble Phantasms he had once held in them. While he can remember their appearance, their powers, and the skills embedded within, the structure, accumulated history, and composition have been lost. (At this level, allows projection of Noble Phantasms, but they suffer a two rank degradation. Kanshou and Bakuya only suffer a single rank degradation due to being projections wielded by 'Emiya Shirou' over his lifetime.)

Structural Grasp - A: Further enhanced due to wielding a Magic that could rewrite existence itself, he can completely grasp the history and accumulated memories of an object given enough time and exposure, depending on the complexity of what is being observed. A single glance is enough to determine the purpose of an object's use or existence, with prolonged analysis allowing the discernment of its concept of creation. However, to truly comprehend its nature, he must have physical contact with the object or mystery. Must be activated, and is not passive. (At this level, allows the analysis of Divine Mysteries)

Reinforcement - A: An extension of Structural Grasp, it allows for both the strengthening and alteration of an object by finding its flaws and filling them with prana. Shirou mainly uses this to strengthen himself and the projections he makes, compensating for the lack of comprehension by reinforcing what he does understand to its utmost potential. But using this without a complete understanding of the object is dangerous, resulting in its destruction if the limits are breached. (At this level, allows rank up in all parameters when used)

Divine Instrument Forging: Allows for the creation of 'Divine Instruments' by using a source of vast accumulated experience and an exacting amount of prana. The 'material' used to forge the Divine Instrument may be in the form of a physical object, such a tree existing for centuries, or in the form of an astral object, such as a soul or source of Divinity. While a similar process may be followed for creating lesser items, 'projection' is preferred in that case, as the expenditure of prana and time require to create those items are too costly.

Release Recollection: Allows for an object with traces of Divinity, or an exceptional amount of accumulated experience, to obtain a new ability by returning to its 'origin'. This may be done in partial release, resulting in modified traits, or full release, in which the full breadth of the object comes to light. In the latter case, there is a high possibility of the user being overwhelmed by the accumulated memories.

Mind of Steel, path of Sword: Although Shirou no longer possesses his origin of 'Sword', he is still drawn to them. This allows Shirou to easily acquire mastery of whatever sword he wields, as if he had been using it his whole life. He also learns any techniques involving a 'sword' at an accelerated rate.

Reality Marble ?: Still inaccessible. It has likely changed from the time of his origin, and Shirou does not know what it is.

Campione abilities:

Magic Resistance (external) - A: At this level, they are practically untouchable to modern magi. However, this does not affect internally applied phenomenon.

Luck of the Devil: Automatically increases Luck parameter to A. In situations determined by pure chance, increases odds drastically in one's favor, and makes it impossible to lose in a match depending solely on chance.

Those who would usurp the gods, Campione!: Allows the 'theft' of a random ability from any divine being they have slain, modified to reflect the mentality and personality of the Campione.

Dark Magic: Automatically increases Mana parameter to A.

Omniglot - A: The ability to learn many languages. At this level, even the most difficult of tongues can be learned within a day, given enough exposure.

Clairvoyance - C: Capable of keeping track of fast-moving object within a range of 4kms, as well as grants night-vision similar to that of a nocturnal predator.

* * *

**Weapon**

**Kanshou and Bakuya**, Fake Married Swords of Yin and Yang - D(+ when reinforced)

The favored weapons of 'Emiya Shirou' in a path where he pursued his ideals. While Shirou is unable to recall their history, he clearly recalls their capabilities as swords that return to their twin, as well as their anti-monster properties.

Due to lacking the understanding of their history and composition materials, the version of the swords that Shirou projects are a 'fake of a fake', blades that possess roughly the same appearance and capability, but in the end are 'empty fakes' that will shatter upon performing a single strike.

It's possible to reinforce them to a level that slightly surpasses the original, but even then, should these versions clash with those that Archer projects, Shirou's would still break upon the first contact.

**Nameless Axesword** \- D(+ when reinforced, ++ when used in conjunction with Nine Lives Bladeworks)

An imitation of Berserker's stone axe-sword that contains the skill of the famous Greek hero Herakles. It is a powerful weapon due to the sheer mass behind it, and one that Shirou can easily trace due to its more mundane nature. However, he cannot replicate the enchantments that were placed on the original, and so compensates by reinforcing it to an obscene level.

As a stone blade following the principles of the prehistoric flint weapons, its durability is low, even more since it is a flawed projection made by Shirou. However, it remains a powerful weapon that can easily overwhelm an unprepared opponent should an attack connect.

**Steel sword** \- E(+ when reinforced)

The 'default' blueprint of the sword that Shirou uses to project. It's modeled on his understandings of a sword, as well as common metals used to create such weapons. While it uses 'steel' as a base composition material, Shirou is able to add other elements to create varying alloys to increase or decrease durability and sharpness, depending on his need.

It takes on the appearance of an unadorned European longsword, double-edged, and the length of approximately 3 ft, or 90 cm.

By reinforcing it, these projected swords could stand against a Noble Phantasm or Divine Weapon, enough to parry, but they would shatter upon a direct strike.

**Ganjiang and Moye**, Divine Married Swords reaching the Realm of Gods - B(+ when reinforced, A against Divine opponents, A+ against 'Monsters')

Divine Swords, forged with the nature of 'Human Sacrifice' that elevate them to the Realm of Gods. Different from the version commonly used by EMIYA, the nature of these swords align closer to the true legendary blades, though the appearance of both are still different from the originals.

They possess an elegance about them, as well as a subtle danger in their appearance. Steel wings, black and white. The blades are splintered, with a design like steel feathers dusting their surface. Despite that, they are far from fragile, and can stand against even the greatest of Noble Phantasms.

Their specialization lies in opposing monsters and the Divine, with a double rank up for the first and a single rank up for the latter.

Not projections, but authentic weapons forged using the 'image' of Kanshou and Bakuya as the core, as well as an aria embodying the ideology of EMIYA.

Due to a misconception in the forging process, at the moment, these blades only appear when Shirou has a dire need for them. When this misconception is cleared, they may be summoned at any time.

* * *

**Guest Review Replies from Chapter 2 on**

Sekirei Guy: In that case, I have no idea. You'll have to try asking Phuxed directly, I guess?

divine forging: I'll be doing a bit of both, letting him forge things from souls/wishes/personalities as well as from physical objects. Or something. You'll see more about that when it comes up.

That guy: Yep. Voban's probably the one king Shirou utterly despises due to his actions, as you've likely seen above.

ace: Ah, that would be interesting, but I found this more entertaining to write, so that's just how it went.

guest1: Yeah... I find myself needing to mentally rearrange the sentences so often to make sense that I've taken to just actually rewriting the portions I need to read. At least it helps me remember them, I guess...

dude195: Pretty much, yeah.

jack and diane: Mm... pretty much, yeah. As for regression to the age of gods... er, don't worry about it. If you know, you know, if you don't, it's not really a big deal. It likely won't have any bearing on the story, and is just a possible plot bunny in my head.

guest00000000000: Indeed! Funny how things work across dimensions, eh?

IIIII: It does fit, doesn't it?

That guy: When I read more/watch more Campione.

troll: Sure. Take all my hate, troll. Cookies are on the table to enjoy on the side.

anon: Hope you enjoyed the update!

Haha: XD

That guy: Mm, I have a handle on how I want things to go, actually, but I'll think about that.

guest23: I say that I must be doing something right, and I'm glad that my efforts are paying off. Not literally, but you know what I mean.

Dfnt: Hm... It depends. I'll have to make a decision on who 'King Arthur' is in this story first.

Guest 9: It's working well, though I've changed the minimum requirement to 'just write 500 words period'. I still try to work on the stories scheduled for the week, but this is more relaxing, mentally. I still end up writing a lot anyway, but it's a mental trigger, you know? As for the other weapons, we'll see a few, but not all. There'll be a list sometime soon of what he can and can't project at the moment, and their ranking. It might even be below, depending on if I include it or not. As for Shirou doing what the SWORD did... maybe?

That guy: Mm, I'm not too fond of this idea, so I'll give it a pass.

Guest: There should be one at the bottom of this chapter.

Guest: Not a problem! I understand completely, having that perspective myself when I go to read a story that updated, only to have a short chapter. It's also why when I update, I either leave a succint A/N or don't include one at all, and then add them later so as not to inflate the word count.

That guy: I'm actually considering this, actually. Not until I update everything first, though.

Guest: He is. He's weak because his Authorities are not combat based, at least not initially. Being a Campione doesn't grant you superhuman speed and strength, after all. Just a really strong body, magic resistance, and mana pool.

dude: Yep, yep. That's why you always read the fineprint. :nods:

geust69: Glad you think so! He definitely still needs a lot of work on what he brought over. It's mostly a compatibility issue, since his origin is different, but he probably won't realize that for a while...

b: Oh, have I got plans for that. I would tell you, but that would spoil a huge surprise later on. As for sword skills, yes, but he's mostly incorporated them into a single style, so you won't be seeing him calling them out or anything, unless they're the higher end skills.

Lone Gundam: Yep, not quite as strong, but potentially much stronger... well, barring the True Magic and all.

fellow: I know, right?

tt: Point on there.

7: Mm, he'll likely do that at some point, once they get to know each other more. Though knowing Shirou, he's not going to stay out of things for very long...

Guest: Glad you think so!

i: Amazing, isn't it?

vamp: Probably even more dangerous since his origin would be something ridiculous like 'void' or 'salvation'. And since he wouldn't be locked to 'sword', he'd be more adept at magecraft too. Now _that's_ a scary thought...

shuffle: I'm actually working on that, but I have to make my way through the VN first, as well as figure out how to write 'Slice of Life' stuff. It's a work in progress, and I'm doing studies to make sure I do it right. This idea was easier to write due to the inherent nature of action, which I've the most experience in writing, and because I actually knew a little about Campione for that first spark to get going.

zero100: I was referring to divine instrument forging, as well as release recollection, yes. And we'll probably see that at some point.

that guy: See my response to 7

litch: Ah, it's a bit unclear there, isn't it? What that meant was that he is no longer those things, and he no longer possesses the reality marble he once had. But since a reality marble is essentially the world of one's soul, he still has one, as he's still alive. He can't use the Sixth, and he isn't an Aristotle anymore, as those belong to the 'sword' he forged and left behind in his universe. So long as his 'sword' remains, he himself cannot access those abilities.

type: Let's just say 27 A-plus circuits with a very, very large mana pool. As for regression to the age of gods... er, just pretend I never said that? It doesn't matter, and was just meant to be an off-hand remark.

That guy: Yep, though they aren't heartless. Just... very dedicated to ensuring they survive the wrath of beings far beyond their ability to defend against.

stoppible: That's a secret!


	5. The Genius and the Prodigy

**Chapter 4: The Genius and the Prodigy**

Shirou woke up disoriented, with a slight headache. His body was sore, and he felt a bit feverish, like an all too warm draft was circulating across his skin.

After a few moments of slow breathing to anchor himself, he realized that he was lying in his bed. It looked like he had managed to return to his apartment safely.

He rolled out of bed, suddenly remembering the events from yesterday, and headed to the bathroom. A glance at the clock along the way showed that he had woken up a few hours before school started, so he was fine on that front. But the issue would come if he was wounded-

_Hold on._

Godou and the others had been there, right? How come they hadn't noticed who Shirou was?

A glance at the mirror revealed the answer.

"Is that... me?"

It wasn't the face he had become accustomed to in the past few months, but rather the one he remembered in the past. Older, sharper features. Silver hair that looked like it was glowing, as well as matching eyes.

He blinked, and the image faded, dissolving like a mirage that had gotten too close. The familiar features, red hair, amber eyes, those appeared and Shirou let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly showing up with both silver would have drawn even more attention to him than he already had, something he didn't want to deal with.

He let out a sigh and did his morning rituals, then headed to the living room.

Though he called his apartment small, that was more because he was used to the spacious Emiya residence. In comparison to most apartments that he had been to, however, Shirou would say that his was at least above average in size.

A small kitchen in the corner of the main area, a wide space set aside as the living room. There was even a partition for his bedroom, as well as a bathroom, and both were far from cramped. There was even another bedroom that he used for storage. For a single person, it could almost be said to be luxurious. Then again, it _was_ in the Roppongi district, so it wasn't surprising.

In any case, there was still some time before he had to leave for school, so Shirou decided he might as well use it to check the morning news. Hopefully there hadn't been any deaths yesterday... he'd managed to stop the wolves before they could hurt anyone else, but there had already been some harm done.

He had just walked into the living room and took a step towards the lounge in front of the television when he realized someone was on the floor in front of him.

"Good morning, milord."

A girl. Silver-haired, with startling blue eyes. She looked slightly younger than him, but not by much. It was surprising, but the most surprising part was her posture. Kneeling to the ground, eyes not leaving the floor. She looked like an all too subservient knight.

"I have been waiting here since you retired to your chambers. I... was not sure if you desired my presence or not. Forgive me for presuming the latter. I await your punishment, if I have done wrong."

Shirou blinked. Once. Twice. _This... isn't a dream, is it?_

"...Hold on."

The girl... her name was Liliana. Yesterday, he had been heading home after work and encountered unnatural wolves bounding down the streets. Feeling a bit nostalgic, as well as amused that his life wasn't normal even after reincarnation (or however it was he got here), and not wanting innocents to be hurt, he had chosen to fight them off.

That led to him encountering Godou and his friends facing off against an old man, and then him choosing to fight after seeing the tortured souls that man had under his control. Shirou had won, using some power that he didn't know he had, and that man had left him with Liliana and his sword, Durandal (how was that sword here anyway?).

After that, he had asked Liliana to take him home, using the cover of the remaining clouds to head back to his apartment.

Shirou nodded. _That's everything._ There was still the question of his powers, why his appearance had changed, and also why he hadn't been recognized, but those could be set aside for later.

"Your name is Liliana, right?"

"Yes, milord."

A curt response. Clipped, and brusque.

Shirou sighed. "You don't have to be so formal around me. Actually, you don't have to be around me at all if you don't want. That man's not here to force you to do anything anymore."

It was obvious that Liliana hadn't wanted to serve Voban. She'd just been another victim, like those countless souls bound to the old man.

...The countless souls that he had saved from an eternity of torment.

The thought brought a smile to his face.

Of course luck would have it that his happiness be misunderstood. Liliana happened to look up at that moment to see his expression, and her own face turned pale.

"F-forgive my insolence! I did not know that milord wished to not be disturbed. If my presence irritates you, then I shall leave at once!"

Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose, driving off the impending headache at seeing Liliana scramble to her feet. Then he let out a sigh as the girl banged her knee against a nearby shelf, knocking over his textbooks.

"Relax, Liliana. I'm not going to hurt you."

He spoke in a calm manner, but if anything his words seemed to cause the girl to tense up even more.

Shirou sighed again and waved towards the lounge. "Have a seat."

She gave a rigid nod in return and stiffly walked towards the lounge before sitting down.

Shirou shook his head at that, and then took a seat on the lounge opposite of Liliana, with a table between them. _Hopefully that should be enough room for her to relax._

And it seemed that it was. The atmosphere was more reminiscent of a business meeting or an interview now, and Shirou saw that Liliana was marginally less tense. She still seemed like she was waiting for death to take her at any moment, but it was better than being paralyzed with fear like she was earlier.

"So it seems there's been a misunderstanding."

Liliana paled again. "I-"

Shirou held up a hand and cut her off before she could protest. "Let me speak."

Another rigid nod from the girl.

_Why do things always have to be so complicated?_ Couldn't he save someone without causing another girl stress? First Sakura, then Rin when he achieved his Magic to save Ayako, and now Liliana after saving the countless tormented souls bound to the mortal plane by a corrupt king?

He pushed that thought aside, and focused his attention on the girl in front of him. Musing about his bad luck could be done at a later time when there wasn't such a tense atmosphere.

"First of all, I am not your lord, Liliana. I did not kill Voban to claim you, or any of his possessions. I did it to save the ones he had trapped, the souls of those he forced to work for him after their death."

Liliana's eyes grew wide at his words, and it seemed like she wanted to say something, but Shirou cut her off again.

"Second, I have no intention of harming you or keeping you here against your will. You're free to leave at anytime. Just don't tell Godou or any of his friends about me being the one to help them yesterday." Shirou frowned. "...I'm still not sure why they didn't recognize me, but I'd like to keep it that way if I can." He gave her a small smile. "It's a bit selfish, but it's nice to have friends I can relax with without worrying about strange things like evil monsters or superhuman creatures."

Though it looked like that peace of his wouldn't last for much longer, Shirou would still like for it to continue, if only another day. It would give him the peace of mind, at least, to know that not everything in his life was bound to danger and deadly circumstances.

...It would also give him time to prepare and figure out his new powers, something he sorely needed to do considering the encounter with Voban. It looked like he'd need to do a lot of work to be able to fight off the monsters in this world, seeing as he'd reverted to a level only a few steps above where he'd been before the Grail War.

He blinked, realizing that he had stopped talking and that Liliana was still waiting on him.

"Ah. But don't think that I'm kicking you out or anything. You're free to stay as long as you need. I doubt that guy had left anything for you, and you don't look like you're from around here..." He eyed her clothes. While practical for combat, they looked more like an outfit for cosplay than everyday use. "Do you even have any clothes other than what you're wearing?"

Liliana shook her head, oddly quiet.

"I thought so." Shirou let out another sigh. "Geez, what a troublesome guy... Well, since I was the one who got rid of him, it looks like I'll be responsible for your well-being in the meantime."

That would have made Rin laugh, and Sakura sigh in exasperation. Ayako probably would have made a remark like 'only Shirou could go off to save tortured souls and be forced to take care of a girl in return' or something.

A brief smile came to him at the thought, but he pushed it away.

He glanced at the clock on the wall. He'd have to leave in a few minutes if he wanted to make it to school on time. "I have to leave now, but I'll be back around three. There should be some food in the fridge, and the remote to the TV's in the drawer beneath it. The phone's on the counter over there, if you need to make some calls."

Shirou grabbed his bag and buttoned up his uniform. "Make yourself at home if you want, or feel free to leave. Either way, I'll be back later."

With those parting words, he gave Liliana a short wave and left the apartment.

* * *

Liliana watched the young man leave, still in disbelief about her turn in fortune. Just yesterday, she had been serving the oldest Campione, the Tyrant with an iron-grip over the Balkans and whose power couldn't be denied.

And then that guy had been killed, and she was sworn to his slayer.

She'd been petrified, and couldn't find the courage to refuse. After all, if the man had managed to kill Marquis Voban, the oldest Devil King who had slain six known heretic gods and who knew how many more, who had lived _centuries_ while hunting heretic gods for sport, who was already so beyond Liliana that refusing him was already impossible, how could she hope to defy his slayer?

The man had led them to an apartment, and she feared the worst... but then he had left her alone and gone to his bedroom, even locking the door behind him and leaving Liliana in the living room.

She didn't manage to sleep that night.

The reason was... it was confusing. That man acted nothing like the one who possessed the ability to kill Marquis Voban. In fact, he seemed... ordinary. And yet her instincts were telling her that he was not one to trifle with. That he was one she could never overcome, that he was one who could easily end her life as if she was but an ant beneath a giant.

It was confusing, and that confusion was only added to when he walked out of his room and headed to the bathroom the next morning without noticing her. Even more confusing was the fact that he was different, appearing younger than he had last night. But she rationalized that as a spell of sorts. Indeed, there were magicks capable of slowing one's aging, so it was not unthinkable that an accomplished mage like him was capable of performing such a feat.

It didn't explain why he no longer felt dangerous, but she rationalized that as his magicks no longer being active after the battle.

But she knew that her reprieve would not last for long. Even if he had ignored her, with the light of day and a night's rest, the man would surely show his true character. And so to stave his fury, to preempt any accidental impertinence on her part, she had knelt before him, prepared for whatever fate he might inflict.

...And then he had explained that his reasons for killing Marquis Voban were to free the captured souls under his command. He then went on to show genuine concern for her situation, and even offer his home for her to freely use while he left for the day.

For a few moments after he left, Liliana just sat there.

Could she believe him? His terms were more than reasonable, and if anything he seemed kinder than the old Marquis. But then he was also far more dangerous, capable of magic that could match the divine Authorities of Campione.

What if it was all just a trap? A test, maybe, to determine her loyalty? What if she failed? He said that he would return at three. What if she left, and he returned to an empty home? Would that anger him and send him on a rampage after her?

What if... what if...!

"Liliana Kranjcar. You are far too wary of the young king."

An impossible voice. Old, intellectual. _It couldn't be...!_

She spun towards it, hoping that she was just hearing things.

She wasn't.

Sitting on the chair that the man had recently vacated was the Marquis that he had killed. The oldest Campione, Sasha Dejanstahl Voban.

The old man held a book in his hand, one Liliana recognized from the books she had knocked off the shelf earlier. "Civil law...? Ha! To walk such a lowly and worthless path when his fangs are so sharp... that king is an amusing fellow."

Liliana blinked, and rubbed her eyes. But despite her efforts, the phantom in front of her didn't disappear. "Y-y-you...!"

Voban closed the book and set it on the table before him. The old man had an amused smile on his face. "Come now, Liliana Kranjcar. It has been hardly a day and you have forgotten my name?"

The silver-haired knight jumped to her feet, reflexively preparing to kneel before the old king, but Voban held out a hand to stop her.

"There's no need for that, Liliana. Do you not remember my words? You now belong to him. That young king has defeated me, the tyrant, and as they say, to the victor go the spoils."

"But you're dead!"

Liliana couldn't help her outburst, and when the old king's expression shifted into a toothy grin, she immediately regretted it.

"Indeed. I am dead."

She blinked. "...Forgive me for my insolence, Marquis Voban. But if you are dead, then how is it that you stand before me now?"

She waited, forcing down her worry that the old king would strike her down for her words, knowing just how much Marquis Voban hated defeat, but she needn't have worried.

"Yes... that is a curious thing, is it not?"

He leaned back against the lounge, his arms crossed as only a king would. "It appears that the young king is more powerful than even he knows."

_More powerful than he knows...?_ Did that mean that his power was so great that even he didn't know its depths? _But... only a Campione would...?_

Liliana blinked. Was that man a Campione? _No. That's impossible._ She immediately discarded that idea. There had been no heretic gods slain recently, and the Bronze-Black Cross would know of any rising Campione. The Marquis Voban himself would have known of another Campione, and as he had done nothing to indicate otherwise before last night...

Yes, the man couldn't have been more than a mage. An impossibly powerful mage, but one nevertheless.

She looked back upon Voban, only to see the old king with a wide smile.

"It seems you are feeling one of its effects already, Liliana. An extraordinary power, is it not? To discount the possibility of his Kingdom until combat... to make his opponents underestimate him until it is too late. Truly, a fearsome foe. The leopard in the night, the beast that preys from the darkness... Ah, but I see you are confused."

Liliana nodded. She could tell that Voban was talking about someone she knew, but at the same time she didn't know what he was talking about. A frustrating feeling, like a name on the tip of one's tongue.

"Hm... while he has not revealed his name or his nature, it should be close enough. Very well! As his knight, it is only fitting that you know of your lord. And as a Servant of his myself, I shall enlighten you to his nature."

The old king waved his hand, and Liliana _understood_. A variation on the 'Instruction' magic that bestowed knowledge on another. That was the spell Voban used, and Liliana paled with its implications.

"An Eighth Campione...? _That_ is who I serve?"

Voban smiled. "Indeed. Young Shirou is a curious individual."

Liliana blinked, realizing that Voban had been saying his name the whole time, only that she had been hearing 'Shirou' as 'king'.

Voban continued speaking. "A fearsome predator, able to turn his pain into a weapon. And one able to replicate an 'evil' individual's Authorities to save those defenseless against a true predator like myself... I would call him naive for such a mentality if not for the fact that he was able to slay me and add my strength to his own."

A moment of silence. Liliana's head went blank as she tried to process what Voban had just revealed.

Emiya Shirou. That was the name of the Eighth Campione... _No. The Seventh. Or perhaps the Sixth?_ With Voban's death, the order had been rearranged. It was unknown if he had become a Campione before the youngest king, but it was possible.

And then there was the ramifications of Voban's death. It would appear that Emiya Shirou had bound the oldest Campione to himself in some manner. _Necromancy? Resurrection?_ It seemed unlikely, but the old king himself had possessed such an Authority-

She froze.

"Ah, so you have realized it."

Again, the old king smiled. "Yes. It appears that I have become a victim to my own pastime. A Dead Servant to a King... though it appears that I have a choice in the matter, unlike those I had slain."

"...A choice?"

Voban nodded, though that smile never left his face. "Yes... to go on to the afterlife or remain here as a Servant of young Shirou. The choice was obvious, was it not?" His smile widened into a grin. "No longer worrying about trifling politics, about foolish mages who seek to 'end my tyranny'... all I have to do is fight. Opponent after opponent, foe after foe. An eternity of conflict, of combat against those that would oppose Shirou. That is the existence now relegated to me."

Despite his words, Liliana had the feeling that Voban was all too eager about his new role. Granted, it had been what he was doing already, so instead of being a setback, it appeared that his death was a step forward?

His smile dropped a bit. "Of course I will have to teach Shirou of his 'duties' and what he has inherited... Hm. It is true that I have always wanted an heir, but none ever proved worthy..."

As Voban trailed off, muttering under his breath about plans to 'educate the young king', Liliana leaned back against her seat and looked up at the ceiling.

"Why me?"

* * *

It was lunchtime. Shirou packed away his supplies and left his classroom, heading towards the cafeteria to buy some bread before heading to the roof.

School was the same as usual, thankfully. There'd been some talk about the car crashes along the interstate last night, as well as the freak storm and lightning strikes near Tokyo Tower, but it seemed like there hadn't been any deaths. A lot of people were injured in the crashes the other night, but there weren't any people missing or dead. A 'miracle' they called it.

Shirou was just glad no one was hurt. _Well, no one except that Voban._ But that guy had it coming to him. Enslaving people he had murdered in cold blood, preventing their souls from moving on... that was unforgivable.

He had just bought his bread and some tea from the vending machines when someone spoke.

"That's a scary face you have there, Emiya-san."

Shirou almost dropped his bread. _Rin?_

He turned towards the voice, half-expecting to see a devilish twin-tailed girl, but instead saw a girl with long blonde hair and violet eyes. _Erica Blandelli_.

He gave her a forced smile. "Good afternoon, Erica-san."

"Ara? Is something wrong?"

Shirou shook his head. "No... you just reminded me of someone I used to know. Sorry to have worried you."

Erica nodded. "I see... and who might this person be?"

He frowned at the thinly veiled probe for more information, but let it be. Truthfully, he was just glad she hadn't outed him as the one who helped them yesterday.

"...It doesn't really matter," Shirou said. "She's not around anymore."

And he should probably stop trying to look for her in everything he saw. But it was hard not to. All of the ones he cared for had left a large impression, even if their time had been short- no, it was probably because their time together had been so short.

He didn't want to forget those brilliant times. Even if he knew the memories would someday fade, even if there weren't many to begin with...

"Ah, forgive me, Emiya-san."

An apologetic voice. Erica gave him a small smile and slightly bowed her head. "It was not my intention to bring up troubled memories."

Shirou waved her off. "It's alright. I've... grown accustomed to it."

He looked around, a bit curious why Godou's self-proclaimed lover was talking to him of all people. "Where's Godou-san? Don't you usually drag him around with you?"

It was odd not seeing them together, especially with how clingy Erica had shown herself to be.

"Oh, he's on the roof with Yuri."

A brief answer, followed by a devilish smile.

_Poor Godou._ From the interaction so far, it seemed like Erica was a mix of how Rin and Ayako liked to act around him. Considering that either of those two were more than a match for Shirou when entering that particular field of battle, Shirou honestly felt sorry for his underclassman.

"I see. Then is there a reason why you sought me out, Erica-san?"

"Mm... not really. I was just curious when we arrived on the roof before you." Erica glanced at the food in Shirou's hands. "Did you forget to make lunch today?"

Shirou shrugged, ignoring the growing crowd around them, and said, "I was busy last night."

Erica shook her head. "That won't do at all! Someone like you deserves better than common bread and tea..."

Shirou froze, concerned for a moment that this was all an act to get him off-guard, and that Erica knew it was him yesterday all along.

"...After all, you can't remain the undisputed Archery and Kendo master if you don't eat healthier."

Shirou let out a nervous laugh. "Ahaha... you heard about that, didn't you?"

He started walking towards the stairs to the roof, now that the crowd was growing even bigger.

Erica followed and said, "Of course. To think that such a prodigy lay hidden the entire time I was here... forgive me for the disrespect I showed when I first saw you."

Shirou shrugged, but inwardly he was analyzing his every action and word. _She's definitely like Rin._ That devilish character, the scary intelligence... it'd be better to not say anymore than he had to if he didn't want to expose himself.

After all, he was a nobody in the magic society of this world, and he had apparently ended an important member of their society the other night, if Liliana's mannerisms were anything to go by. Sure, that guy might have been a tyrant, but there would be consequences for his actions, and he didn't fancy having to fight off the magi in this world without knowing more about its structure.

_I should probably ask Liliana more about that if she's still there when I get back._

The silver-haired girl would probably know a lot, considering she was in the service of that guy.

"...So what do you think?"

Shirou blinked. "I'm sorry, Erica-san. Did you say something?"

Her expression dimmed a bit, but she said, "I asked if you would like to join us for lunch. Yuri brought much more than necessary today, and has plenty to spare."

Shirou smiled. _Deciding other people's actions for them... that's nostalgic._ "If it's no trouble, I would gladly accept your offer."

Erica nodded. "Excellent."

She opened the door to the roof, the two of them having arrived sometime during their conversation, and led the way.

"Godou~! Emiya-san's joining us for lunch! Yuri, you'll be a dear and share some of your food with him, won't you? The poor man forgot to pack a proper lunch today..."

Shirou had to resist the urge to laugh as the blonde swept onto the scene like a force of nature and commandeered the situation.

_...Poor Godou. He's got a handful in that girl for sure._

* * *

Godou took a bite out of his lunch, doing his best to ignore the conversation occurring in front of him.

"...So what do you do in your spare time, Emiya-san?"

"Not much. I'm afraid I'm a pretty boring guy."

"Oho? That's not what the other girls say..."

"I'm sure they're exaggerating."

Godou sighed. "Erica. Would you stop pestering Emiya-senpai?"

The beautiful blonde smiled, that same devilish expression that Godou had come to associate with trouble. "Pestering? What gives you that impression, Godou? He doesn't mind. Do you, Emiya-san?"

The red-head smiled, and for one terrible second, Godou could have sworn his expression was identical to Erica's.

"Of course not."

Erica nodded. "See, Godou? He doesn't mind." A pause, and then she sidled close to Godou and said, "Could it be... is my dear Godou _jealous_?"

"STOP SAYING RIDICULOUS THINGS!"

The two broke out into laughter, and to his surprise, Yuri joined along, despite being quiet the entire time.

Godou groaned. "Not you too, Yuri!"

The shrine maiden gave him an embarrassed smile. "Ah. Forgive me, Godou-san, but that was too funny!"

_This is a nightmare. It's gotta be._

The quiet senpai they recently met for lunch was getting along with that devilish woman. Not only that, but the pair had somehow dragged Yuri on their side!

Shirou tilted his head and stared at Godou. "Does he always get like that?"

Erica nodded. "It is regrettable, but it is in Godou's nature to reject a lady's heart."

"Hey!" Godou said. "I'm nothing like-"

Yuri nodded. "Indeed, Godou-san is the most despicable type of man. Stealing away a lady's heart, only to reject it in the next breath... truly, the worst of the worst."

"I see."

Godou coughed and quickly changed the subject. "A-anyway! Emiya-senpai, what are you planning to do for summer break?"

The red-head frowned, and for a moment actually looked concerned, but then his usual small smile took its place. "I'll probably just spend the summer working."

"Work and school... you're far too uptight, Emiya-san." Erica turned to Godou, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

_Uh-oh. _Whenever Erica got that look, things were bound to go downhill for Godou. Like last time, when she forced him to Italy for a weekend.

"How would you like to come with us on a trip this summer, Emiya-san?"

_...Wait. Wasn't that trip the same one that she wanted to drag me along? _What made Erica suddenly decide to change her mind and make it a group trip? Not only that, why did she want to invite Shirou along? _He's a nice guy, but to suddenly invite him out of the blue..._

Did she know something about the unassuming upperclassman that he didn't?

There was that brief frown again, but it was quickly replaced by that genial smile. "I wouldn't mean to impose-"

Erica smiled. "Not at all! We were just thinking about having an older escort along. Right, Godou?"

"Huh? Wait, don't suddenly pull me into the conversation like that, Erica!"

Erica shrugged, keeping that same devilish smile on the whole time, and then said, "Of course, Yuri is invited as well."

"Eh? I am?"

_There she goes again, making plans for people without their consent._ Godou sighed, deciding to just let Erica do what she wanted. It was less trouble to go along than try and rebel at this rate. It was already playing out the way she wanted, and saying anything else would just make him get into an awkward situation.

"Of course, Yuri! After all we've been through, it'd be dishonorable to not let you join us."

Yuri nodded and looked deep in thought about the offer.

"Can I get back to you on that?"

Meanwhile, their Senpai gave a noncommittal response. "I'd have to check in with my boss, first..."

"Very well," Erica said. "Do decide before the end of the week, however. I have to make arrangements myself."

Shirou glanced at his phone, and then gave them all a small bow. "Thank you for the food, Mariya-san, and thank you Erica-san, Godou-san, for inviting me on your trip. I'll give it the utmost consideration."

With those words, he left.

After he closed the door behind him, Godou turned on Erica. "What are you playing at, Erica? I thought you wanted to 'get to the next stage in our relationship'?"

He had to suppress a shudder just saying those words, but he needed to know.

"...He's interesting, that Emiya Shirou."

"Interesting?" Yuri asked.

Erica nodded. "It's very subtle, but the way he speaks and the way he moves are not ordinary. His breathing is too steady, his movements too light and precise, and no man is that polite unless they have something to hide."

Godou blinked. "Er... I don't know much about Italian culture, Erica, but that's the average level of politeness for people around here."

The blonde shook her head, brushing off Godou's words. "No, I'm sure of it. That Emiya Shirou is not ordinary, and I'm going to prove it." She smirked. "Who knows? By the end of today, my king might have another knight."

"I don't think that's how you recruit someone, Erica..."

* * *

Shirou blinked. He had been gathering his belongings after his last class when that Erica Blandelli burst into his homeroom with Godou and Yuri in tow.

"Emiya-san! This Erica Blandelli challenges you to a duel!"

"...A duel?"

It didn't seem like she had realized he was the person from yesterday, so that wasn't the reason for such a sudden challenge. Did he let something slip? No, he was sure of it. There hadn't been any flaws in his 'mask', so that wasn't the reason for it-

_Ah. That might actually BE the reason for it._

Didn't Erica hint a lot about his reputation as a 'kendo and archery prodigy'?

"Another duel?"

"Isn't that Emiya's twelfth challenge this month?"

"Isn't _that_ the foreign beauty from the second years?"

"What does she want with our Emiya-sama?"

Shirou resisted the urge to cover his face at the reaction of his peers, especially the female portion. _I should have never tried out for those clubs... They're turning out to be more trouble than they were worth._

"Yes, a duel! Unless... you fear losing to a girl?"

It was such a blatant provocation and out of character that Shirou couldn't help but sigh.

He wanted to refuse. He really did, especially as he didn't want to keep Liliana waiting too long if she had decided to stay. But if he refused, things would probably get more troublesome, with rumors like him being too prideful to accept a challenge unless they fought all his defeated opponents or something. He was already getting close to being somewhat of a local myth in the school due to his 'mysterious aura' and 'genius', and he didn't want to add any more fuel to that crazy train unless he had to.

"...Fine. But it will have to be quick. I have to get back home soon."

The class erupted into chaos at his acceptance.

"Whoa! Emiya-sama accepted?"

"That foreign beauty's calling Emiya-sama out? Who does she think she is?"

At that point, Shirou couldn't help but cover his face. "Let's... just go. Lead the way, Erica-san."

* * *

Godou still wasn't sure what Erica wanted from Shirou. Looking at the guy, all Godou could see was an ordinary upperclassman that was apparently really popular with his class.

...Though his popularity was kind of ridiculous now that he thought about it.

"Hey, Yuri... isn't it a bit ridiculous to have a crowd like this just for a kendo match?"

They were in the gymnasium. Shirou and Erica were standing in front of each other at the center, both armed with a shinai.

"It does seem a bit much, Godou-san. But from what Shizuka told me about him, it's not unexpected."

A prodigy who appeared suddenly at the beginning of the school year. A 'cool and mysterious' Senpai who ranked first in the school's exams, and then proceeded to decimate both the prestigious kendo and archery club, both of which had captains that ranked near the top in the nation. And that guy had done it all casually, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"...Well when you put it that way..."

Godou still found it a bit odd, but then again he was a Campione. Maybe seeing someone normal was odd for him now? _That's a terrifying thought._

They were in the gymnasium, standing in the front row of the spectators. And when Godou said 'front row', he meant 'front row' out of the hundreds that had packed into the gymnasium. First years, second years, third years... even some middle school and college students were in the crowd.

"They can't all be here for Emiya-senpai, right?"

Yuri shook her head. "No, I think half is here for Erica-san."

"Is that so...?"

Seeing the huge crowd, Godou began having second thoughts about going along with Erica's idea for a trip. _Forget having my life decided for me, if word ever got out that it was just the two of us- no, if Emiya-senpai decides to come along as well..._ There were a lot of fans in that crowd. Very, very enthusiastic fans as well. Fans that made Godou fear for his life, considering the fact that this was only a fraction of their fan base.

Erica swung her sword, testing its balance, and then raised it in her initial stance, holding the shinai lightly in front of her, pointed at Shirou. "First strike, Emiya-san?"

The upperclassman raised his own shinai. "That's fine."

Unlike Erica, the red-head didn't bother checking the shinai's balance. Godou would have called it arrogant, if not for the fact that he held it with a calm assurance, like he had wielded it his entire life. In contrast to Erica's traditional fencing stance, Shirou's was the traditional kendo stance, with both hands on the shinai and the sword held vertically in front of him.

Shirou looked around the crowd and sighed. "Let's just get this over with. I don't want things to get anymore out of hand than they already have."

Erica nodded. "As you wish. Godou! We begin on your mark!"

_Don't just casually involve me like that, Erica!_

Though he was upset, he couldn't really protest. Erica had pointed her shinai at him after her declaration, and he suddenly held the attention of hundreds that would be all too happy to tear him apart if he didn't oblige with their idol.

"E-er... on three?"

Erica and Shirou nodded.

"Alright... then three. Two. One. Go!"

* * *

Erica dashed forward, her sword sent in a rapid thrust towards Shirou's heart. Though she wasn't using magic to enhance her speed, the attack was still more than enough to overwhelm any ordinary swordsman. But as she expected, it wasn't enough for the one in front of her.

Shirou stepped back, just out of range of her strike, and surpassed her overwhelming opening with a blinding counter.

But that was within her calculation. Erica had already felt that Shirou was more than an ordinary student, despite his claims otherwise. Even without his reputation as a prodigy, he was too perfect to be a simple upperclassman like Godou insisted. And besides that, more often than not those that her king found to be ordinary turned out to be anything but.

Erica shifted her sword, and Shirou's strike was sent off at an angle, his stance too awkward to continue his attack. At least, it should have been.

_Style change?!_

He switched grip. Moving with the force of his attack, Shirou spun around for another rapid slash, cutting towards Erica's torso with the shinai held in one hand.

She couldn't dodge in time. Left, right, back, front. Those planes of escape were closed off to her. The only way to avoid the attack was...

A brilliant maneuver. Without hesitation, Erica flipped backwards, avoiding both the attack and retreating to give her room to maneuver.

She landed back on her feet, and was instantly on guard for Shirou's continued attack, but it never arrived. Instead, the red-head was standing a few meters in front of her, his face flushed and his gaze shifted to the ground.

"Ah... sorry about that."

Erica tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't mean for you to... you know. I'll take full responsibility for any consequences."

She pondered his words for a few moments, then she realized what he meant and smiled. "A gentleman, even on the field of battle? Truly, my Godou could learn a few things from you. But you needn't worry, Emiya-san. Such a thing is only convenient, as it brings me closer to Godou accepting my love." She gestured towards her king. "See how he defends my chastity even now?"

Godou was sending glares towards anyone who looked like they might have even _thought _about taking a picture of that. Those that actually did... well, there was a reason why Campione could face off and defeat the gods that couldn't be beaten.

Shirou nodded, though his gaze was calculating.

Erica raised her sword. "Shall we continue?"

* * *

"...Stupid people and their stupid cameras. Stupid Erica for doing such a stupid stunt in a stupid match."

Godou had finally tracked down the last of the ones that had taken a picture of Erica's accidental flashing. _Thank god that she decided to actually wear them today... even if it was lingerie._

It was at that time Godou was thankful for his enhanced Campione body. His vision had already been good from playing baseball, but it was only after becoming a Campione that he could pick out miniscule details like the number of flashes and cell phones being pointed.

_...Then again, that devil would have already taken precautions against something like that, wouldn't she?_

Godou sighed, realizing that he had probably played right into her hands again.

Yuri gave him a curious look. "You're quite protective of her, even if you don't show it, aren't you, Godou-san?"

Godou shook his head. "If I don't die against a heretic god, Erica's going to be the death of me, I swear."

Yuri just smiled and shook her head at that.

"So are they still at it?"

Yuri nodded. "Emiya-san is a most skilled fighter. It appears that Erica is no longer holding back."

"Eh?"

He looked back to the fight, and froze. "That Erica... is she seriously trying to kill him or something?"

A blistering assault. Erica continuously advanced, her sword a blur as she sent attacked Shirou. A crimson hurricane, launching too many attacks to count towards Shirou, all aimed towards fatal areas.

But if Erica was a crimson hurricane, then Shirou must have been eclectic gale, drifting, bobbing, and weaving around her strikes with fluidity that was incredible to watch.

Having trained her whole life to become a Great Knight, and achieving that goal at the tender age of twelve years old, surmounting peers that were even decades older, Erica's swordsmanship was a beauty to watch. Efficiently elegant, and regally destructive.

Contrary to that, Shirou's was... Godou didn't know how to describe it. Random. Chaotic. It was a cacophony of techniques, strewn together in a wild style that had countless weaknesses, and yet countless strengths. Rigid strikes that Godou recognized from Kenjutsu and Kendo. Soft blows that could only come from Wushu or Aikido. Hard techniques melding into soft, counter and offense exchanged without pause.

...But he messed up.

Erica sent her sword in a heavy horizontal slash, knocking Shirou's sword wide and opening his stance. A powerful blow that completely broke his form, and one that couldn't be recovered from.

Godou saw Shirou stagger, swinging his sword behind him to regain some semblance of a stance. But it was too slow.

Erica advanced, her sword sent in a swift thrust at Shirou's head-

Silence. Even Godou couldn't believe what he had seen.

"Ah... it looks like you win, Erica-san."

"...No, this is my loss."

One-handed sword stopping. Something meant to be performed with gauntlets, as catching a blade with your bare hands was suicidally reckless, and would only leave you lacking one.

Normally.

The reason for that was that you had to catch the flat of the blade with only your fingers, pinching it with enough strength to stop the attack. But due to the fact that swords tended to be metal, there just wasn't enough friction to do so. The blade would just slip past your fingers, no matter how fast you reacted or how hard you pinched your fingers.

It should have been possible with magic, and Godou was sure he could probably do it against a normal human due to his enhanced body. But he couldn't have done it against Erica, especially when she went all out like that.

Not only that, but he had stopped Erica's thrust with one hand, actually forcing her to come to a staggered halt in her movements. A thrust that Godou himself could barely see.

"No. Had that been a real sword, my hand would have been cut off. You win, Erica-san"

The red-head lowered his shinai, which was scarred from the intense duel, and grabbed his bag. "Well, if that is all, I'll be going." He inclined his head. "Thank you for the match."

"Ah!" Surprisingly, Erica did the same. "Thank you for obliging my curiosity, Emiya-san."

The crowd was silent as they watched Shirou leave, and then burst into an uproar.

"EMIYA-SAMA LOST!?"

"No! Didn't you see that? He stopped her sword with one hand!"

"Is that even a legal move?

"It was an informal match to begin with, idiot!"

"Erica-san's amazing! Such beauty, both physical and with the sword! Eeek!"

Godou shook his head at their antics and walked over to Erica. To his surprise, she looked troubled.

"Erica? What's wrong?"

"Ah, Godou. It's nothing."

That worried him. For Erica to just brush him off like that, when she was so amorous all the other times, it must have been serious.

"What did you find out?"

"I-"

She was interrupted by Yuri's voice, sounding hollow and solemn. "He walks the path of a sword, wielding a mind of steel. His body is made of..."

Yuri suddenly jerked, as if she was struck and visibly thrown back.

"Yuri!"

Godou caught her before she could fall to the ground.

"Ah... thank you, Godou-san."

Erica crossed her arms, and put a hand to her chin. "So you couldn't get much from him either, Yuri? Troubling..."

Godou blinked. "...Wait. Did you plan for Yuri to use Spirit Vision on Emiya-senpai?"

Erica nodded. "It's suspicious, don't you think? Suddenly gaining in popularity, enough to draw a crowd this large. Skills unrivalled by even the great kendo and archery club in this school, with teams that can compete on the national level... how is that not suspicious, Godou?"

"Well when you put it that way..."

It was kind of suspicious now that he thought about it. _But he's such an ordinary guy..._ Unassuming, polite. He seemed to be the type of person that couldn't hurt a fly.

And yet he had gone toe to toe with Erica, who herself was a Great Knight that had been training in the sword her entire life.

The gymnasium was emptying as they spoke, the crowd diminishing as the act was finished. Even so, Godou, Yuri, and Erica remained, pondering their mysterious upperclassman.

"Emiya-san is a one-of-a-kind genius, that's for sure. Maybe even on the level of Lord Salvatore Doni, but in a different way."

"Eh?! The same level as that guy?! But..."

Erica nodded. "It's strange. The Copper-Black Cross would have been aware of someone as skilled as him, and they would have been eager to recruit him, even with the lack of magic."

She frowned. "And even more strange is the fact that I could feel nothing from his blade."

"What do you mean, Erica-san?" Yuri asked.

"It is nothing special, but all those who train in the way of the sword can 'feel' something from their opponent when they cross blades. I'm sure that Godou understands what I'm saying."

He nodded. "Something like how you can figure out someone's personality from the way they fight?"

"Yes. That's exactly it. For Godou, it is reckless abandon, a berserker style that usually ends up with the destruction of historical monuments. 'Achieving victory against all odds, regardless of the means', you could call it."

Godou opened his mouth to protest, but couldn't find it in himself to disagree. It was true, after all, even if worded negatively.

"Lord Salvatore's style is sharp, focused. Like his 'Ripping Arm of Silver' that cuts through everything, his swordsmanship is undeniable, without feints or tricks."

"With how good that guy is, he doesn't really need them..." Godou said.

Erica smiled. "True." Her smile disappeared, turning into a thoughtful frown. "He walks the path of a sword, wielding a mind of steel... that's what Yuri's Spirit Vision said about Emiya-san, is that right?"

"I think so?"

Erica nodded. "I see... that explains it. A sword without pride, without emotion. Locking away all doubt and attacking relentlessly with unthinkable moves. Not locked to one style, but using a style that contains them all within. No, of having no style at all, only 'techniques' to be used according to the situation. Techniques used in a style that has no meaning..."

"...You still won though. Doesn't that mean his style is bad?"

As good of a fighter Shirou might have been, he still lost to Erica.

"No. Like I said, it was his win. He had been using only one sword against me, but near the end his style had changed. Did you not see it, Godou?"

Godou frowned. _It was odd..._ Now that he thought about it, Shirou could have avoided that last blow. Instead, he had brought his hand up to stop it- _No, that's not right._ It wasn't that he meant to stop it by bringing his hand up, but that he had to stop it because he brought his hand up. But the only reason for that...

"Two sword style?"

Erica nodded. "Had he possessed another blade, he could have easily parried my strike and ended the bout. It seemed that Emiya-san was limiting himself out of respect... No. That he wasn't taking me seriously from the beginning."

A devilish smile suddenly appeared on her face. "Godou~!"

The young Campione reflexively tensed, ready for flight at the sound of Erica's voice. "...Yes?"

"It's the duty of an underclassman to look up to their Senpai, so why don't we see what Emiya-san does so we may properly... admire him?"

"...Don't you just want to spy on him?"

Erica grabbed Godou's arm, firmly pressing it against her chest. "Me? Spy? You must think me a shameless woman, Godou. Oh, whatever shall I do?"

"E-E-Erica-san! S-s-such actions! In public, no less!"

Yuri was a beet red, her eyes flitting between Godou and Erica with a dizzying speed.

Godou willfully ignored his arm's current position and said, "Erica! Stop saying things that could be misunderstood!"

Erica smiled, the devilish expression that only marked trouble for Godou. "But perhaps being shameless is the secret to your heart...? After all, playing coy doesn't seem to work..."

And with those words, Erica started pulling his arm lower...

"Fine! We'll go spy on Emiya-senpai! Just stop it already!"

Erica just kept on smiling and started pulling him towards the door. "Come on then. We don't want him to get too far away."

Godou sighed. "Why me...?"

* * *

Shirou was walking home. After a long commute back to Roppongi and the chaotic events unfolding during and after school, he was glad that he managed to get back before the time he told Liliana.

"I wonder if she stayed...?"

It was likely that Voban had dragged her along, so she might not have anyone to contact in Japan. Or if she did, they might not take kindly to the fact that the person she was serving wasn't alive anymore.

"... If she did, I hope there was enough food."

Shirou had some prepared meals in the fridge for when he was either too busy studying or working to cook, but he wasn't sure if he remembered there being enough. "Hopefully her appetite isn't as big as Fuji-nee's, or else it would have been an uncomfortable day..."

He sighed, having reached his apartment door, and pulled out his key. "Well, time to find out."

He unlocked the door and opened it-

"So you're finally back, Emiya Shirou."

-only to stand face to face with the man he had just killed.

Marquis Voban grinned and gestured towards the lounge. "Have a seat. We have much to discuss, young king."

_Stupid luck... Why me?_

* * *

A/N: So a friend challenged me to a writing contest to see who could write the most in a single day. Apparently, he thought that since I usually only wrote 500 words a day, I couldn't write more than him, who routinely wrote 2000 words a day in order to meet the goal of 50000 words by the end of November.

I proved him wrong, and now he owes me lunch for the next few days.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting to have this written so soon, but here it is. Don't expect this to be a frequent update speed for this story. I'm actually washing my hands of this for the next few weeks since I've pretty much exhausted my creativity juices concerning this story for the time being.

Guest replies and review responses will be up... sometime. I dunno. What with Thanksgiving and relatives coming to visit, it might be a while.

Sword of Origin is next on my update list, and that'll be up... sometime as well. I'm editing and writing the latest chapter as I go to try a new style of outputting words, so it might not be until the end of this week that it's updated.

That's pretty much it. Thanks for reading, have a good Thanksgiving if you celebrate it, and remember to leave a review if you can. As usual, it only helps me get better, and I do appreciate them.

Until the next!


	6. Beginning Anew

**Chapter 5: Beginning Anew**

Shirou tensed. He was sure he had killed Voban. There was no way that he should still be alive after being struck down by Shirou's last attack-

_Wait... resurrection. He had a ridiculous thing like that, didn't he?_

That had been the second time Shirou killed the guy, not the first. Nine Lives should have taken care of him, but he had used some unknown magic to bring himself back to life.

He must have done the same after Shirou's last attack. Though Shirou was sure that he had saved those souls, the fact was that the man who enslaved them was still alive, and now standing right in front of him.

Looking past the man, Shirou could see Liliana sitting on the lounge, eyes cast to the floor as if avoiding both his and Voban's gaze.

_Save her._

This guy was a threat. So long as he lived, more people ran the risk of meeting the fate of those bound souls. And there was the chance that he would hurt Liliana, that she would face the consequences and wrath of the guy in front of him because Shirou killed him.

A sword. Something that could take him out in one hit while minimizing collateral damage. Nine Lives wasn't useable in such a small space. He couldn't retreat, as Voban would turn his attention to Liliana. Kanshou and Bakuya weren't enough to take him out. Reinforcement wouldn't be enough either.

He had to-

"You need not be so tense, Emiya Shirou."

A genial smile from the old man. Not malicious, not malevolent. It was an expression completely at odds with the vicious and cruel opponent he had met the other night.

"...Huh?"

Seeing that Shirou wasn't going to move, Voban turned his back on him and sat down first.

Stunned at the lack of hostility, Shirou stepped inside and closed the door behind him. _...This is reality, right?_ He didn't usually have dreams, especially since he had arrived in this world, but when he did they tended to be surreal. Sort of like this, except involving a fiery short girl with blonde hair that bordered on pink, or a ruined wasteland spreading out for eternity.

Voban leaned back against the lounge, gesturing at the seat opposite of him. "Do sit. As I said, young king, we have much to discuss."

Shirou sat down, though he was still cautious. Just in case, he held the images of Kanshou and Bakuya at the front of his mind. Voban didn't seem like he wanted to fight, and Shirou really didn't want to in such a small area with innocent civilians nearby, but that man _did_ keep countless souls enslaved under his control in a tortured state of being.

You could never be too careful around those types of people.

He cast a sidelong glance at Liliana. The silver-haired knight was being far too quiet. And he could tell that it wasn't out of respect, but out of fear. Her body was still, as if she was afraid the slightest misstep would be her doom.

_Save her._

That was enough to make Shirou serious. _I don't know why he's here, and I don't know how much he's recovered. Nine Lives won't work here, but I should be able to get him with Kanshou and Bakuya. He's relaxed, so as fast as he is, even he can't avoid them. Especially if I project them from behind him. But even then, I need an opening. He's already seen my abilities, so I have to surprise him._

"Oho, planning to kill me even now, young king? Your fangs are sharp indeed."

Voban's sudden words broke Shirou out of his thoughts. Looking towards the old king, Shirou noticed that the man had an amused smile on his face. "Yes... with such an attitude, only the strongest shall seek you out. And as your Servant, they will in turn seek me out. Truly, a wonderful arrangement."

Shirou blinked. Then he blinked again. _Did he just-_

"Hold on," Shirou said. "My Servant?"

A wicked grin on Voban's face, though it was more devilish in nature than demonic. "Indeed. I had said as much, had I not? To the victor go the spoils. I had intended to just give you my knight and blade, but it seems that with your powers and even greater boon is possible."

Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. "...Alright. Now what's this 'boon' you're talking about. And why do you seem so... different?"

That's what was really getting to Shirou. He couldn't reconcile the image of that blood-thirsty devil king from the other night with this genial elderly gentleman before him.

"Liliana. Prepare some tea for your lord."

"Y-Yes!"

She practically jumped out of her seat before Shirou could stop her and rushed to the kitchen.

"Liliana."

Shirou's voice caused the silver-haired knight to stop in her tracks.

He sighed at her reaction. "You don't have to do that if you don't want to." He sent a glare at Voban. "Even if this guy's here, I won't let him force you to do anything you don't want."

A frantic shake of her head. "N-no, it's alright milord! I don't mind!"

Shirou frowned at her actions, an expression that deepened when he heard pots clattering to the ground, but turned his attention back on Voban.

The old man still had that grin on his face. "And even now you bare your fangs... excellent. I will enjoy our spars in the future, young king."

And there it was again, that genial attitude. At no point in their conversation so far had the old man given him any signs of malevolence, hostility, or even anger. He was... Shirou didn't know exactly how to describe it, but it was like he was amused at everything Shirou did, but with an expression that also held a hint of... approval?

"But to your original question... hm. Can you not feel them yet, young king? The powers you have taken as your own?"

Voban was calm, but Shirou could sense that he was slightly confused.

"Hold on. First off, what's with this 'young king' business?"

It was more than a nickname. Shirou was sure of that. The way Voban said it gave Shirou the sense that it was more a title than another name.

That time Voban's confusion turned into outright shock. "You... do not know?"

_And there that's headache again._

Shirou sighed. "No. I don't know. Now why do you keep calling me young king? And what powers?"

A moment of silence. Even Liliana's clamoring in the kitchen had come to a halt.

Voban laughed. It began as a slow, rumbling sound, and then emerged as a loud uproar. "You... you defeated me, the oldest Devil King, the most experienced Campione and did not know of your own Kingdom?"

Shirou frowned. He opened his mouth to object when Voban cut him off.

"I have heard of Campione possessing extraordinary luck, but to stumble upon one that did not even know of their own status... one that none had even known existed... Truly, young king, you are the most unexpected of us all. Even young Kusanagi was not so ignorant."

Shirou's frown deepened. _So Godou is a 'Campione' like Voban? That would explain why he felt different, and also why he was involved the other day, but..._

"What's a Campione?"

Voban broke out into laughter again.

* * *

Godou let out a sigh.

After Erica's abrupt decision to follow Shirou, the three of them, Godou, Yuri, and Erica, had followed the upperclassman throughout Tokyo.

If he had to put a word to the experience, he would call it 'troublesome'.

Erica, by virtue of being a foreigner and the ideal beauty of one at that, already attracted attention. And since she had been so adamant on clinging to Godou throughout their 'mission', that attention had also included Godou. And then there was Yuri, beautiful in her own right, who kept arguing with Erica and scolding Godou for allowing such indecent behavior.

To be honest, it was almost a miracle that Shirou didn't notice them following him, although it appeared that the upperclassman had a lot on his mind.

Going throughout Tokyo, walking along the streets, taking a cab... after a long journey, they had finally reached their destination: Shirou's home.

Godou blinked when they arrived at the building Shirou had entered. _Senpai... lives here? But he's so normal!_

The Roppongi district, and particularly the area where only well-off individuals lived. Shirou headed straight to one of the more elaborate apartment complexes and then to one of the apartments at the top floor.

It didn't make sense. Well, it did a little. Jounan Academy _was_ a prestigious school, so it wasn't _too_ odd. But Shirou... he gave off such a nice guy demeanor. And he was so normal! He was the kind of guy that Godou expected in an ordinary high school. The kind upperclassman that helped out his juniors, and lived an ordinary life.

Yuri looked at the building with wide eyes. "This is where Emiya-san lives?"

Erica smiled. "So it would appear, Yuri." She pulled on Godou's arm. "Come on, let's go visit!"

"Hey- hold on, Erica!"

He pulled himself out of her arms.

The blonde smiled. "Oho? Can it be that my Godou is scared? That my courageous king is afraid of meeting his simple upperclassman?"

Before he could protest, she had grabbed his arm again, practically wrapping herself around him and pulling him towards the building. "Don't worry. I'm sure that Emiya-san will appreciate his juniors coming for a visit."

"Erica! Stop being so shameless!"

Yuri scolded the blonde for her actions, though it seemed to be out of reflex rather than her actually reprimanding Erica.

_That's a scary thought._ Was it possible that Yuri was getting used to Erica's antics and eventually would stop caring altogether? She had already laughed at Erica teasing him earlier today after Shirou did as well.

With an almost herculean effort, he pulled himself free. Well, he'd say that he did, but it was more like Erica let him get free. Not a comforting thought, but he ignored it and glared at Erica.

"You said you wanted to spy on him, not stalk him! And won't he think it's suspicious if three of his juniors show up without warning?"

This was a bad idea. Godou was already regretting going along with this plan of Erica's.

Yuri nodded. "What Godou says is true... it is impolite to intrude. And we have already seen enough, haven't we, Erica?"

Godou quickly nodded in agreement with Yuri, grateful that she was supporting him for once.

But despite their combined forces, they still weren't a match for Erica's formidable drive. "Seen enough? All we have found is more evidence that Emiya-san is suspicious. It's far too odd for a student to be living here, of all places, isn't it?" Erica frowned. "And he's living alone too, from what the school records state."

"School records?" Godou frowned. _When did she have the time to-_ He sighed when he realized it. "Was that why you had to use the restroom before we left?" He shook his head. "I knew something was odd... wait. You looked at his school records?"

Erica just gave him that same devilish smile. "The principal was most accommodating to my request."

Godou sighed. "You shouldn't go around hypnotizing people to get what you want, Erica. And isn't that supposed to be against your honor or something?"

With those words, Erica's face suddenly turned serious. "Not if it keeps you safe, Godou."

"Erica?"

Yuri's questioning voice. She must have noticed how serious Erica had gotten, and how odd it was in comparison to her previous behavior.

The blonde was quiet for a moment and then said, "...It's probably nothing, but I have to make sure." After saying that, her mood completely flipped, and she was back to her normal self. "Let's go, Godou! You too, Yuri!"

After seeing her react that way, Godou could only give her a meek nod and follow.

If Erica was serious about this, then he couldn't afford to mess around. Anything that could garner the full attention of her as a 'knight' and not 'Godou's lover' was something to be cautious about.

...Even if Godou still couldn't see what was so threatening about Shirou.

* * *

Shirou rubbed his forehead, trying in vain to get rid of the pounding headache he had.

"...So you're telling me that I'm a god slayer that's pretty much untouchable to modern day magi- er, mages and that I can do whatever I want with no repercussion unless other Campione or Heretic Gods decide to get in my way? And even then I just have to beat them to do what I want, and if they're gods I get even stronger?"

Voban nodded. "It is exactly as you say, young king."

Liliana poured Shirou a cup of tea.

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Liliana."

"I-It's no trouble, milord."

With that, she took a seat on his lounge, opposite from Voban, but also as far away as she could be from both of them.

Shirou sighed. It looked like he wouldn't be getting rid of her fear anytime soon.

It probably didn't help that Voban was now apparently his Servant either.

"Right. And because of one of my 'Authorities', when you died by my hand you were given the choice to become my Servant instead of going to the afterlife or resurrecting, and because of your personal code of honor you decided to do so?"

Voban nodded again, though the hints of a smile were at the corner of his mouth. "It is as you said."

_...I need to figure out these powers of mine._ It was one thing to be able to kill gods. Shirou didn't really mind that, though he found it ironic since he technically classified as one in his previous life. But it was another thing entirely to have random powers spring up out of nowhere like they did when he fought Voban, especially since a guy like that was suddenly made his Servant.

Servant, as in the same type that existed for the Holy Grail War.

Shirou could already feel his headache getting worse, but pushed it aside. "...You aren't going to randomly kill people again, are you? Or enslave them to be your undead servants for all of eternity?"

Voban scoffed. "Such a naive outlook you have, young king. In this world, might makes right. You should take every opportunity you have to expand it, to become mightier than even the greatest of gods. Who cares about the weak, so long as you may fight worthy opponents, test your mettle against beasts with fangs as sharp as your own, if not sharper?"

Shirou just looked at him. "I do. And since you're my Servant, you have to listen to me, right?"

Voban seemed like he was about to protest, but decided to let it go. "Very well. As one who fell by your sword, I shall fall in line with your path. But I will not forgive you for letting your fangs dull, Emiya Shirou." He gave Shirou a wicked grin. "The moment that my own might surpasses your own, we shall fight again. And at that time, we shall see who is the Servant and who is the King."

Shirou narrowed his eyes. "If it means preventing you from killing innocent people, that will never happen."

A tense moment, and then Voban gave him a curt nod. "Liliana is capable of informing you of the greater details entailed with being a Campione. She will answer any further questions you may possess."

Voban rose to his feet.

Shirou did the same. "And where do you think you're going, Voban?"

The old king let out an exasperated sigh. "Since my young king is so inclined towards protecting the 'innocent'... bah, what a foolish word." Voban shook his head, and then continued. "My defeat at your hands will no doubt have spread by now, and I require a show of force to reassert my control."

He cast his eyes towards the door. "And in any case, you have guests." He gave Shirou a curt nod. "We shall speak of this another time, Emiya Shirou. I shall contact you when the dust has settled upon this chaos."

With that, Voban turned into a dragon (thankfully intangible, as he would have broken a lot of Shirou's furniture otherwise) and faded from view, leaving just Shirou and Liliana in his apartment.

When he was gone, Shirou let out a deep sigh. _First a God and Ultimate One, now a God Slayer and King. Can't I ever save someone without changing into something beyond humanity?_

It didn't really bother Shirou, especially since he actually had powers he could use on a regular basis to protect people, but it was still a bit ridiculous in his opinion. It was like 'Emiya Shirou' was fated to be some larger than life existence or something. Archer, that Counter Guardian, himself... _Then again, it's not like I could be a normal guy anymore with what I've been through._

A knock on his door.

Liliana sprung out of her seat. "I'll get that, milord, don't worry about it!"

"Wait, Liliana-"

Shirou got out of his seat and made to stop her. If the visitors were people that could make Voban leave, then it wouldn't be safe for her to answer the door. But before he could stop her, she had already opened it, revealing a familiar trio standing at the doorstep.

A moment of tense silence, and then a cheerful voice. "Why hello there, Lily! What a surprise meeting you here."

Erica looked past her to Shirou and smiled. "May I ask how you know Emiya-san?"

Shirou sighed. _This is not going to end well, is it?_

* * *

They were all sitting around the lounge in the living room. Shirou had taken it upon himself to make some tea for everyone, while they all got settled in.

Godou, Erica, and Yuri were sitting on one lounge, the blonde being almost indecently close to Godou as usual, holding his right arm, while Yuri was on the Campione's left, looking like she wanted nothing more than to yell at Erica, but restraining herself due to being impolite in the current company.

Sitting opposite of them, with her gaze anywhere but on the blonde, was Liliana. She looked concerned, confused, and afraid all at once, as if she were standing before a ticking bomb.

Shirou didn't really blame her. If Godou was a Campione like Voban said, those 'God Slayers' that had gone above and beyond to do the impossible act of killing a god, he could understand her worry completely.

And while the guy didn't seem that bad (he actually reminded Shirou a lot of himself before the war) Shirou couldn't forget how he had summoned a giant boar out of nowhere to attack Voban. Not that it had worked, but if he could do that, what _else_ could he do?

With that in mind, Shirou decided to do the simple thing and make tea. People never fought when they had tea. Well, maybe. It was probably a vain hope, but at least it gave him something to keep his mind off of the fact that his guests probably knew a lot more about this Campione business than he did and could probably make his life much more complicated than it already was if they found out that he was one as well.

So, tea. If making it had let him get through Rin and Ayako talking about his love life while that guy had mercilessly teased him the entire time, it could let him get through this.

"This is a nice place you have, Emiya-san."

Shirou walked over to the living room, having finished prepare the tea, and set down a tray with the pot and cups on the table between the two parties before taking a seat next to Liliana.

It made him feel slightly better that his presence made Liliana more relaxed, though only by a fraction.

"Thank you, Erica-san."

He poured them all a cup of tea. It wasn't the best, since he hadn't expected any guests, but it was still better than the average cup of tea due to the high quality of ingredients he made them from. His money had to go somewhere, after all.

The blonde nodded in thanks, an action mimicked by Godou and Yuri.

Silence again as they all drank their tea.

Shirou sipped his with an outward calm, but inwardly he couldn't help feeling a bit panicked. It wasn't like they would or could do anything to harm him. Even knowing that they weren't ordinary underclassmen like he originally thought, Shirou could still tell that the three in front of him were good people. Still, it would complicate things a great deal if they were to realize that he was Campione, or if they realized that he was the one who helped them out the other day.

Uncomfortable questions, answers he couldn't really give without bringing up more questions. And then there was the fact that he had showcased a lot of his abilities to Erica today in their duel... _I should really think these things through before I do anything._

Rin would have heartily disapproved and called him an idiot for getting into this mess. Ayako would have laughed, and Sakura... well, she probably would have called him an idiot too. _And there I go thinking about them again._

"You make good tea, Senpai."

For a second, he recalled those distant days where Sakura said the same, but quickly forced it down.

That was Yuri, not Sakura. She took another sip from her cup and smiled at him. "Have you considered joining the tea ceremony club? You would do well, especially if you can already make tea as well as you do."

He returned her smile and shook his head. "Thank you for the suggestion, Mariya-san, but I'll pass. I'm already busy as it is with work and my studies."

"Oh?" Erica said.

Shirou was instantly on guard, being careful to avoid giving any more hints to the blonde. He'd already made plenty of mistakes in her presence. He couldn't afford to make any more.

Erica smiled, and Shirou realized he had tensed. _Well, there goes that plan..._

"If you are so busy, may I ask what you're doing with my dear friend Lily? And how is it that you two met?" She turned to Liliana and said, "I was under the impression that you were otherwise... preoccupied, Lily."

The silver-haired knight was startled at being suddenly addressed. "I-I... Um. M- Emiya-san and I... he..."

The devious blonde mercilessly targeted Liliana's weakness. "You and Emiya-san...?" She trailed off, and then put her hand to her mouth, as if reaching a sudden realization. "Can it be? Has our unassuming Senpai-"

"It's not what it seems-"

"Stop saying misleading things, Erica!"

"N-no! We're not-"

Shirou blinked, something mimicked by Godou and Liliana, who had spoken at the same time as him.

Yuri frowned and turned on Erica. "Do you really think that Senpai is as shameless as Godou, Erica?"

Erica put a finger to her chin, looking between Liliana and Shirou. "Hm... well, Godou seemed normal at first, didn't he?"

Yuri nodded. "Yes... perhaps you are on to something, Erica. They do say that like attracts like..."

Shirou sighed. "We're not like that, Mariya-san. I met Liliana the other day after coming back from work. She seemed a bit lost and didn't have anywhere to stay, so I invited her over."

Erica's eyes grew wide. Yuri looked stunned. And Godou looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't.

Liliana, on the other hand, had turned a deep crimson.

Shirou was confused at the sudden change in atmosphere, and then grew tense. Did they realize it? Did they know that he was the one from yesterday? He had mentioned a vague enough truth, but could it have been enough to jump to that conclusion? His disguise had already been flimsy at best, but he had hoped that it would be enough. But now it seemed that-

"Exactly the same..." Yuri muttered.

Erica looked at Liliana, seeming both amused and exasperated. "Lily. I understand that you recently arrived in a foreign country, but I would have thought you had more sense than that. A lone girl wandering around the streets at night, a young man inviting you to his apartment..." She trailed off leaving the implications hanging.

Shirou blinked, and then it clicked in his head. "N-No! That's- I'd never do that! She looked like she needed help, so I- What are you even- I don't... Erica-san!"

The devilish smile on Erica's face made Shirou realize that she was making fun of him.

"...You're terrible."

Just like Rin. That blonde was just as bad as Rin was in teasing him.

Shirou glanced at Liliana to see that she had turned a deep crimson. On the bright side, it seemed like she wasn't afraid or tense anymore. On the downside, she seemed like she might faint out of sheer embarrassment.

"Of course, I can see how you might be attracted to Emiya-san. He's far from unattractive. Ah, but don't take that the wrong way, Emiya-san. My heart fully belongs to Godou." She leaned against the younger Campione's arm. "Isn't that right?"

Godou blushed and leaned away from her. "Erica! Stop that!"

The blonde sighed and leaned back. "So cruel..."

Liliana spluttered, finally snapping out of her embarrassment. "I'm not- He's my- um... Emiya-san is..."

Erica smiled and leaned forward. "Emiya-san is...?"

Godou sighed. "Stop teasing Liliana, Erica. Haven't you done enough already?"

Erica frowned, though there were still the hints of a smile at the corners of her mouth, and said, "I only tell the truth, Godou. Wouldn't you agree, Yuri?"

The shrine maiden nodded, looking all the while like someone who just had her world shattered. "The same... yes. The same as him..."

Shirou raised an eyebrow at that. There was something about Yuri's words that seemed off...

"Well, I think we're done here." Erica got out of her seat and gave Shirou a quick bow. "Thank you for your hospitality, and I apologize for the intrusion, Emiya-san."

"Ah." Shirou automatically got to his feet and returned the bow. "It's not a problem, Erica-san. Thank you for coming."

Erica straightened and gave him a smile. "Take care of Lily, Emiya-san. She's a bit naive and uptight, but she has a good heart."

"Of course."

A brief series of farewells from the three, and then it was just Liliana and Shirou alone in his apartment.

He stood there, staring at the door for a few moments longer, dazed at how he had been played by the devilish blonde.

_No... not as bad as Rin. She's worse. A devil wearing red Prada._

Shirou sighed. He had tried. He really did. But from that knowing gaze Erica had before she left, it seemed that he had failed in hiding his identity.

_Why can't things just be clear cut? Beating the bad guy, protecting the innocent, saving people... can't I just get a break? I'm not cut out for these kinds of fights!_

* * *

Erica walked back with Godou to her house. Yuri had excused herself on the way back, mentioning something about her shrine duties. From the thoughtful look on her face as she left, however, Erica knew that it was more than just simple duties she had.

A Campione. Erica didn't know how she hadn't figured it out until after they met. She had suspected Shirou was more than an ordinary person, especially after their duel. No regular person could force her to stop holding back in a spar like that, let alone wield the sword in such a strange and effective manner.

_What does this mean for Godou?_ It was unheard of for two Campione to occupy the same territory. They were competitive by nature, after all, so conflict was inevitable.

...Yet hadn't Shirou taken painstaking efforts to remain hidden? And then there was the fact that he had helped them out the other night by fighting and beating Marquis Voban. Though different, now that Erica had the benefit of hindsight, she could see that the man from yesterday was the same as their 'unassuming Senpai' as Godou put it. And now that she thought about it, she could see that his changed appearance was obviously the result of manifesting an Avatar, turning his body into an ideal form to wield his Authorities.

But that begged the question of what god Shirou had slain to become a Campione. There hadn't been any reports of Heretic Gods other than the ones Godou had faced recently, and even if Shirou had managed to slay them, neither Athena nor Melqart possessed an ability to call forth swords like Shirou had.

_A Chinese god, perhaps?_ The swords had been oriental in nature... but then that Luo Hao would have taken notice had a Heretic God appeared in her domain.

No, it wasn't a Chinese god that he had slain. Perhaps Hephaestus? But that didn't explain the Authority he had used near the end to both subvert Voban's own Authorities, as well as erase all of the wounds he had and turn them back on Voban.

It bothered her. A complete unknown quantity, with unknown origins, as well as unknown motives. _Well, not completely unknown._

It was apparent that he wanted to live a normal life like Godou, judging from the fact that he had remained hidden until the previous night. But then why had he chosen last night to make an appearance?

_He said he met Liliana the other night while walking home from work..._

Could that be it? A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or perhaps being in the right place at the right time?

"Erica?"

And he had been happy that they were safe near the end, hadn't he? Perhaps he was someone like that American Campione that wanted to protect the city from the shadows? No, if that was true then he would have interfered when Athena had obtained the Gorgoneion. Why hadn't he?

"Erica."

A Campione staying out of the way was unheard of. It was in their blood to seek out conflict. Even Godou, who claimed to be a pacifist, naturally possessed the instincts for combat. He tried to cling to normality, but Erica knew deep down that her king was meant for more, that he was denying his true nature. It showed in his ruthlessness during combat, and how he cared not one bit for their surroundings. A love of the fight and nothing else.

But Shirou was different. Erica hadn't been wrong in her assessment. The other Campione's style of fighting was one without pride, without meaning. Combat was more a method than a goal in itself like it was for other Campione.

He had been fighting not for the joy of battle, but to utterly destroy Marquis Voban. Methodical, attempting and discarding techniques to cut down the one in front of him. Almost like a machine.

Though Erica had faith in Godou, a battle between him and Shirou was something to be avoided at all costs. Focused, relentless. Shirou would not give up until Godou was destroyed if they ever became enemies, despite the kind face he showed to them at school and in his home.

"Erica!"

She blinked. It seemed that they had arrived at her home while she was lost in thought.

"Ah... thank you for coming all this way with me, Godou." She gave him a warm smile. "Such a gentleman... you should act like this more often. This is how you should treat a lady who holds you dear."

Godou flushed at her words, but his expression was serious. "Are you alright? You've been... really quiet since we left Emiya-senpai's house."

Erica couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. It seemed that Godou was deadset on continuing to address him as a 'Senpai', despite the fact that they could be called 'friends' after being invited into his home. _Then again, my king so adores his normality._

"Is my Godou worrying about me?" She tilted her head. "Can it be? That at last, you are-"

"Erica."

A focused expression, the same look that reminded Erica just how much she loved him. "What's wrong? And no distractions this time."

She smiled, a real one instead of the playful expression she always gave him. "Thank you, Godou."

Her words came out softer than she intended, but seeing how Godou flushed at them, she let it be. "I'm fine. I just have a lot to think about now."

Godou kept looking at her, but then nodded. "You'll tell me if it's something important, right?"

"Of course. You are my king, after all."

Yes... her king. And now she had to make sure that another didn't come into conflict with him.

_Perhaps I should pay another visit to my dear friend Lily..._

* * *

"You don't have to do this for me, Milord."

Shirou sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you, Liliana? Call me Shirou."

Liliana hesitated, but nodded. "As you wish Sh-Shirou."

They were walking through the Roppongi district. Despite his insistence on her going back home to her family, Liliana had adamantly refused and said that she belonged at his side as 'his faithful knight'.

His protests had been immediately shot down, especially when she reminded him that there was a lot he didn't know about the supernatural world, as well as his duties.

"Anyway, if you plan on staying with me... and I still don't get why you won't let me rent you your own apartment-"

"It's my duty to stay at your side, mi- Shirou. And I don't want to make too much trouble for you."

He sighed at the instantaneous rejection, as well as how meek she was being.

"And I keep telling you that it's not a problem. It's my responsibility to take care of you for getting you in this mess. Eating plain meals for a while so that you can have some privacy is-"

"I will stay by your side, Shirou. It's my duty."

Shirou shook his head. "Fine... have it your way. But in any case, if you're planning on staying here instead of going back, then you're going to need clothes, toiletries, and other things, right?"

Liliana flushed a little, but nodded.

"I thought so. In that case, I refuse to let you stay with me unless you let me pay for those."

"But Shirou-"

"It's either that or you stay in my apartment while I rent out another one."

Liliana sighed. "...Very well. But won't it be expensive to shop here?"

Roppongi Hills. Practically a city in a city, with over 200 stores, various offices, apartments, and even things like an art museum and a hotel. That was where he'd taken Liliana to go shopping, and the two had just arrived inside the central shopping area, where crowds of people, ranging from young teens like them to middle-aged businessmen, milled about

...To be honest, it was a bit selfish of him. He'd caused a lot of trouble for Liliana, and she seemed to be the reserved type that didn't get the chance to enjoy herself very often. That, along with the fact that she insisted on being Shirou's 'knight', becoming even more reserved, made Shirou bring her here, so that she could act like a regular teenaged girl instead of being his knight, like she so insisted.

Shirou smiled. "It's fine. Now, where do you want to start? Clothes? ...Come to think about it, there probably wasn't anything good in the fridge, so maybe we should stop and get some food first."

Liliana hesitated. "You have work, don't you? You don't have to take me-"

Shirou crossed his arms and stared straight at Liliana. "I've already decided to spend today for you, so don't worry about me. We're going to buy you clothes, get you some real food other than the leftovers I had in the fridge, and do whatever else we need to do so that you'll be comfortable l-living with me."

He shifted his gaze at that last part.

_That's right_. Liliana would practically be living with him from that point on. He'd forgotten about that tidbit between Voban and the others arriving at his apartment. Thankfully, there was room and his lease allowed for more than one person to live in the apartment, so that wouldn't be a problem. But still...

_They'd be laughing right now, wouldn't they?_

Liliana blushed, and then gave him a meek nod. "A-alright. Then... can we go to that store first?"

Shirou nodded. He'd ensure that Liliana had fun today no matter what, in exchange for causing her so much trouble.

* * *

...A few hours later, he was regretting his decision to take her to Roppongi Hills of all places. Not completely, since he was happy that the younger girl seemed to be enjoying herself. After all, seeing someone else happy because of his actions couldn't fail to make Shirou happy himself. And since it was something he was used to doing, even before the war, he didn't mind.

It only took the first few stores for Liliana to relax around him and start having fun. Surprisingly, once you got past her solemn demeanor as a knight, Liliana was pretty much a normal girl, as he had thought.

Of course, because of that, everyone they met were treating them like a couple, something that bothered him. _But if she's happy..._

He was sure that they would have understood. As the person who caused Liliana to get in this mess, it was his responsibility to take care of her because of that. Logically, rationally, it made perfect sense. And he was sure that they would have said the same thing to him, though in a more colorful manner like Rin calling him a noble idiot and Ayako saying he was too kind for his own good.

Still... it felt like a betrayal, even then. _No._ Shirou shook his head. Not a betrayal. No one could replace them. Even if their time had been short, and even if he wished he could have spent time with them like this, there couldn't be anyone else.

_You can be an idiot sometimes, you know, Shirou?_

"Yeah... I know, Ayako. I know."

He could almost hear them scolding him for that.

Liliana had gone inside one of the stores that only women could go into (well, he could have gone too but he decided it would be better for his sake not to follow) and left Shirou outside the store holding what they had already bought. Mostly clothes, but a few things as well to give her room a more personal touch, like some stuffed animals.

He sighed. "Really, I wonder how things ended up like this... Well, I guess it isn't that bad."

He had saved people. He had made someone happy. He had made some friends. And he even had powers he could use to protect people from any monsters that might show up in the future. He really didn't have anything to complain about, now that he thought about it...

"Thy name... what is it?"

A formal address.

He blinked, coming out of his thoughts, and looked up to see who had spoken.

A beautiful girl, almost inhumanly so. Sleek black hair that fell down her back in curls. Eyes the color of rubies, and just as precious. Pale skin reminiscent of the moon on a pure night. She was dressed in a simple kimono, made of green silk that contrasted well with her ruby eyes.

"...Huh?"

An inarticulate response. Caught off guard, he didn't manage a proper reply to the girl in front of him.

She frowned. "Thy name is... 'huh'? How strange..."

"Ah, no." Shirou shook his head. "Sorry, you just surprised me. My name is Shirou. Emiya Shirou. But... is there a reason for you asking?"

The girl nodded. "Thy name is Emiya Shirou... yes, this seems more fitting." She tilted her head, giving Shirou a once over. "This Kushina meant no offense. Thou... has a most curious air about thee. One that is most familiar to this Kushina, like a memory of spring and autumn..."

Shirou frowned. "A... curious air?"

The girl called Kushina shook her head. "Pay it no mind, Emiya Shirou. This Kushina thanks thee for indulging in her curiosity."

With those words as parting, the mysterious girl vanished into the crowd.

He didn't have much time to think on her, however, as Liliana reappeared from the shop just after.

"Sh-Shirou. I've chosen what I want to buy."

"Ah. I'll be right there."

He cast another look towards where the girl had vanished, and then shook his head. It was strange, but she hadn't seemed dangerous. In fact...

_Her face before she left. That had been regret._

* * *

Liliana sat down on her bed, staring at her new belongings. It was night, hours since her king- _No. Shirou. _Yes, it had been hours since Shirou had taken her out shopping.

Clothes. Shampoo. Even selfish things like stuffed animals or romance novels. He had bought them all for her, and even given her the spare room in his home.

"...I don't understand."

It was too much. Even for a knight that had earned her lord's favor, this was too much. Not only that, but he was... different from what she had expected.

She was just a lowly knight. As skilled as she might have been, she couldn't have hoped to reach the heights of a Campione. As a God Slayer and a Devil King, Shirou should have held his life above her own. Should have let her be.

It was her duty to serve him. And yet... he had been the one aiding her, as if her desires were more important than his own. As if she was an equal.

An image popped into her mind of Shirou standing in front of her, swearing to protect her against everything in the world-

"No!" She frantically shook her head. "Bad thoughts!"

He wouldn't do that. Even if he had been nice to her today, Shirou was still a Campione above all else. Someone like her... it didn't matter. Yes. She was a knight to a Campione, one who had slain her own king and obtained her loyalty as a result. If anything, she should be the one protecting him.

She nodded.

Yes, that was right. She didn't deserve all of this, so she would only have to earn it.

She wasn't a princess to be pampered. She was a knight, one who had earned her skills and title, so she would be the one protecting her king.

...Even if she would admit that it was nice to be treated like today once in a while.

"Oh Lily~! Are you here?"

She froze. _That voice..._

Liliana really didn't want to believe it was Erica Blandelli calling out to her from outside her window. _But that crimson devil would do that, wouldn't she?_

She sighed. At least Shirou wasn't home, having gone to his work downtown after letting Liliana back in his apartment. She'd insisted on following him, but he'd refused, telling her to 'make herself comfortable'.

Liliana debated leaving Erica outside and pretending she wasn't there, but decided that it would bring too much trouble to Shirou in the future.

She walked to the window and opened it, then glared at the one hovering there above the window.

"...Blandelli. What are you doing here?"

The blonde made her way inside, and then made herself comfortable on Liliana's bed. She took a look at the unorganized shopping bags and let out a low whistle. "King Emiya is quite generous, isn't he? My Godou could learn a few things from him on how to treat his lover."

Liliana paled, and then blushed at Erica's implications. "He's not... Shirou isn't my lover!"

Erica smiled, and shook her head. "Lily, Lily, Lily. You should be more honest with your intentions. You're living your dream now, aren't you? Like that lovely story you kept inside your drawer?"

Liliana froze. "H-H-How do you know about that?! There shouldn't be... I didn't..."

Erica waved her off. "I have my ways, Lily."

"...I'll kill you if you tell anyone, Blandelli."

Erica smiled. "Even if you did, a copy is in my will, dear Lily. Now, why don't you tell me more about this king of yours? He must be someone special to have captured your heart, is he not?"

Liliana grit her teeth. "You don't know anything."

Erica continued talking, completely ignoring Liliana's response. "Of course, if you want him to return your affections there will be some effort involved. Kings can be ever so fickle, like my own Godou, you see..."

Despite herself, Liliana couldn't help but listen to the blonde with a sort of morbid fascination.

* * *

Shirou was walking home from work. He'd been worried about being late, but when he arrived he found that Hotaruzuka-san was more than understanding of the situation. He'd also explicitly told Shirou to take a few weeks to enjoy himself during the summer break and to not bother showing up.

Apparently, the staff of Copenhagen felt he deserved the rest after working so diligently without complaint. He'd tried to refuse, of course, but Hotaruzuka-san had outright denied his protests, pointing out that he had worked through enough breaks.

Which led to Shirou's current situation, walking back from his last day of work for a few weeks.

_Well, at least this works out?_

He was free to take Erica up on her invitation now, but he was wondering if he should after today's events. It was clear the blonde had figured something out, if not realized completely what Shirou was.

"Is it you, I wonder?"

He blinked at being suddenly addressed, and turned towards the speaker.

The intersection leading to his home just a few blocks away. Standing there, with no cars in sight, was a young man.

"...Who are you?"

He wasn't ordinary. Like the girl from earlier in the day, Shirou could tell that the young man in front of him was different from a regular human. Even from a regular magic user.

Hair that had gone prematurely gray, eyes with shifting colors every color of the rainbow. A youthful face, impossibly fair. He was dressed in a simple white suit and pants, though they seemed more like attire fit for burial than everyday use.

Peaceful. Pure. That was the impression Shirou got from the young man.

Even so, Shirou remained cautious.

The young man shook his head, that fair face twisting with an expression of... grief? "Yes, it is you. The Fates are cruel to bring us together like this, young king. In any other circumstance, we would have made for fine comrades, you and I."

"...Huh?" Out of everything he expected the young man to say, that definitely wasn't it. "What are you talking about?"

The young man shook his head again. "One who bears all evil and was expelled from creation. One who was expelled from life and must obtain all the world's sorrow... it is cruel, but it seems that this is fate, young king."

"All the world's sorrow...?"

Shirou didn't get it. He didn't understand what the young man was talking about. He should have been concerned that he knew about Angra Mainyu, but for some reason, Shirou couldn't find himself threatened by the one in front of him.

-Lost. In that moment, the young man reminded Shirou of himself when he first arrived. Someone who lived on, but didn't really have a reason to live anymore.

"I don't really know what's going on, but... are you alright?"

It was never wrong to want to help someone. And right then, despite the fact that he wasn't a regular human, that young man needed his help.

A soft smile. "Yes... it is most cruel. I should not have come, but I had thought at last..." He shook his head, fixing Shirou with a focused gaze. "Do not mourn me when the time comes, young king. I do not deserve your sorrow. And remember that you cannot save everyone."

A resigned expression. Someone who had given up on salvation.

Seeing that expression and hearing those words triggered something in Shirou and he spoke without thinking. "You're wrong."

The young man just shook his head, disappearing from view like a mist meeting the sun's rays. "We shall see, young king. Pray to the Fates that you are correct and I am wrong."

Shirou frowned, but continued on his way, the image of that young man's troubled face in his mind.

It remained up until he arrived at his apartment, which at that point he had other concerns.

Shirou took out his keycard and unlocked the door, pushing it open.

"... and then she said, Welcome back, Mas... ter?"

He blinked.

Liliana blinked back.

There was a moment where neither of the two did anything, Shirou still standing at the doorstep with his hand in the air from where he had pushed the door open.

Liliana was dressed in a maid outfit. Where she had obtained it, and why she had it, Shirou didn't know. From the blush spreading across her face, though, it was obvious that she wasn't actually planning on greeting Shirou like that.

He sighed and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I'll remember to knock next time, Liliana. But if you're going to do something like that, could you do it in your room?"

"You..."

"I mean," Shirou said. "It's none of my business of what you like or don't like, and I'm... glad? That you're taking your role so seriously, but you don't need to go to those lengths. I've already said that I'll take care of you while you're here, so-"

He was cut off by a pillow being thrown in his face. Almost right after that, a door slammed shut and Liliana was nowhere to be seen.

Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose, ignoring the budding headache. "Liliana... that's my bedroom."

The door opened and a red-faced Liliana walked out. She gave Shirou a stiff bow and then walked into her room, locking the door once she entered.

Shirou sighed. _Why do I feel that Erica is involved in this somehow...?_ It would be just like her... or rather, just like Rin to put Liliana up for something like that. And since Erica was similar, he wouldn't put it past her to have tricked Liliana into something like that.

He shook his head and walked to his room, purposefully putting the incident at the back of his mind. Like he had said, he wasn't one to judge another on something as trivial as their hobbies or what they did in their free time.

...Though he would prefer not walking into another scene like that. The neighbors might misunderstand the situation.

Closing the door behind him and making sure it was locked, Shirou took out Durandal from where he had left it earlier and sat down on his bed. Lifting it up, he frowned as he examined the blade.

_It seems the same, but..._

"Trace... on."

Structural analysis. One of the few spells that Shirou had always been good at, and one that had become only that much better after attaining his Magic, allowing him to perceive even the most complicated of concepts with enough time. He used that now to examine the blade that Voban had left for him, the one he had apparently used to kill his first god.

"So it's different after all, huh?"

It looked the same. It even had the same powers, strangely enough. But in the end, it wasn't the same.

Durandal had been a divine blade, given by an angel to Charlemagne who later gave it to Roland. A Divine Instrument forged by the gods and later given to mortals to wield, eventually becoming a Noble Phantasm of the Heroic Spirit Roland. It was an indestructible sword that granted three miracles to its wielder, and would remain ever sharp.

This sword was different. Though the abilities were the same, this sword was never wielded by Roland. No... instead of being wielded by Roland, this was a sword that contained the divinity of a 'god' named Roland. A 'Grimoire' containing the essence of divine 'Steel'.

The moment that Shirou understood that, it changed. That essence of 'Steel' shifted, and it felt like something was forcing its way into his circuits, a power that didn't belong, and yet did.

It was only a moment, but when he had realized what happened, Durandal was gone. But at the same time, it wasn't gone.

He could still feel the sword, and intuitively knew it would appear if he willed it. Even so, the sword itself was nowhere to be seen, as if it was just an illusion existing in his mind.

"...Huh. I didn't think I could still do that."

It was similar to when he had pulled a sword out of his reality marble, or put one in. But that couldn't be it, since his reality marble had been destroyed in whatever way he got to this world, shattered like his soul had been. He was sure he still had one, but the reality marble allowing him to store and retrieve blades at will no longer existed. The only reason he could project anything in the first place now that it was gone was because he had 'memorized' the blueprints for the few swords he could use, or at least enough of them to fudge the details for a usable end-product.

No. He hadn't put Durandal in his reality marble. It was more like... it was more like Durandal had become a part of him, an extension of himself that he only needed to think in order to make appear-

_Oh. That's probably why._

Shirou's origin and alignment had been 'Sword'. Though he doubted his origin was the same after being reincarnated... or whatever it was that you called how he got here, his alignment might still be the same. Since this Durandal was more an embodiment of divinity with a mind of its own than an actual sword, maybe it decided to take him as its master?

_It doesn't really matter, does it?_ He had another weapon at his disposal, one that he could use without draining his own resources.

With that in mind, he turned his attention inwards and began his daily routine of seeking his body's limits, as well as deciphering the new powers he had gained.

Not that he had ever had success with the latter, but maybe tonight would be different...

* * *

Upon a building overlooking all of Tokyo, two girls stood. One looked young, in her early teens, and had silver hair with violet eyes, tinged red. If not for those features, she would have been mistaken for a school girl with how she was dressed. A white dress shirt with a black tie and a tan sweater vest over it. A short black skirt and long purple leggings. Yes, it would have been easy to dismiss Athena as just a simple girl from her appearance alone.

The girl next to her, however, was not so easily placed. She appeared to be in her late teens, and possessed all the beauty that came with that age. Black locks of curled hair, appearing like trails of dark clouds from the night. Piercing ruby eyes that shone even in the darkness. She was dressed in a dark green kimono, emerald in contrast to her ruby eyes.

Counterparts. That was what they were. And at the same time, they were colleagues, two 'snakes' seeking a common goal of regaining their powers.

But first, there was the matter of a Campione's sudden death the previous night.

"You have found him?"

The dark-haired goddess nodded. "Thy divination proved true. There is indeed a new king to replace the old. Though it is curious..."

Athena tilted her head. "How so?"

Kushina hesitated. "He... is familiar. There is a certain air about him that reminds this Kushina of earlier times, of days long past. Autumn and spring..."

She shook her head. "But it is meaningless. The young king is not even on the level of Athena's own prey."

"I see."

Silence, as the wind blew through the night.

"...The Heraneion?"

Kushina smiled, a sly expression reminiscent of a snake. "Obtaining the Queen's power shall be no trouble. Its protectors are nothing more than prey for this Kushina."

Athena nodded, but her attention was elsewhere in the city.

Kushina followed her gaze. "An intruder?"

Athena shook her head. "One called by its invocation."

"Hoh?" Kushina smiled again, that same serpentine expression. "Thy Fate is one most curious to have gained the attention of the mourning god."

Her following words were soft, unheard by even her ally. "Perhaps it is thy strength this Kushina requires. Autumn and spring... yes. Perhaps thou art this maiden's salvation..."

* * *

A/N: First off... what does the scouter level say about this chapter's word count?

...It's over NINE THOUSAND!

Ahem.

So it's mostly setting things up this chapter, introducing the first Heretic God, as well as Athena's mysterious colleague. Cookies to the ones who guess their identities. I think I've laid enough hints for you to figure it out... the latter might be more difficult as she's a composite god though.

Now to forstall any confusion about Shirou being able to be found by the gods, they actually would have ignored him if he hadn't answered their questions, but Shirou's too polite for his own good sometimes. Well, that and he still doesn't know all about his powers yet.

Other than that... I don't really have anything?

I'll send out review replies later tonight and early tomorrow, appending the guest ones to the end of this chapter.

Oh yeah. You can thank Marcus Galen Sands for this chapter's prompt appearance. Seeing the latest chapter of God Slaying Blade Works gave me the motivation to update my own story.

That's about it. Thanks for reading and remember to leave a review on the way out. As always, it only helps me improve my writing and the story. I'd greatly appreciate pointing out any areas that could be improved.

Until the next!

* * *

**Authorities**

Death Ring

_The Master of Death itself. With this ring as proof, I declare. I am the one who governs the cycle of life and death. I am the one who will decide if death is just. (And so I say, people will not die if they are killed.)_

An Authority that represents the right to govern the passage of souls, as well as control over any earthbound souls. When active, it appears as a ring on his finger, with a black stone.

It is an Authority over the cycle of life and death, and allows him to halt it, expedite it, or reverse it completely. With this Authority active, he may send those souls unable to pass on to their afterlife, he may halt one's death, or he may reverse their death completely, provided it was recent and the connection between body and soul remains.

Those killed or mortally wounded within his presence are 'marked', and may choose to linger for Shirou to decide their final fate, or move on to the afterlife. From those that linger, they have an additional choice of deciding to become Shirou's "Servant", to pledge their fate to him as an eternal vassal, to become his sword that would go against the gods themselves and grant him absolute authority over their soul.

Due to being obtained through Angra Mainyu's Authority rather than usurped from a Heretic God, when resurrecting a soul, they are given a body similar to that of a Servant's from the Grail War, with parameters dependent on their own abilities in life, rather than the deathly servants that Marquis Voban employed. It is not a complete resurrection, as such abilities lie in the domain of the Third Magic, and only grants them a temporary material form lasting so long as their own 'spiritual core' may sustain them. (Marquis Voban is an exception due to his Authority 'Otherland's Dragon' which allows him to physically return from the Netherworld)

There is likely a way to perform complete resurrection using this Authority, however the control required to enact such a miracle is currently beyond Shirou.

In terms of prana expenditure, the cost depends upon what's being done and how much it goes against the natural order. To send an earthbound soul to the afterlife takes little to no prana as it is the natural course of life. To revive someone recently dead requires enough prana to heal their body as well as restore any damage to their spiritual core that has occurred since their death (similar to Rin's healing of Shirou's heart). To halt someone's death entirely requires a continuous stream of prana equivalent to sustain a Servant using their Noble Phantasm over an extended period of time, as it forces the cycle of life and death to a standstill. It also requires absolute focus or determination, as the world itself fights against such an act.

As of this chapter, Shirou only knows that he can bring back people he killed.

Red Punishment

_Flames that consume all, the cursed fire from a blackened sun. Within this red world, I walk alone, moving on as wishes, dreams, and desires burn around me._

An Authority summoning fire from the sky that can incinerate even gods to nothing.

Due to being obtained through Angra Mainyu's Authority rather than usurped from a Heretic God, it has changed to become cursed flames with an affinity towards 'Heroic Spirits', or Gods of Steel.

In activation, it distorts reality and turns the entire area into a hellish scene from the time of Shirou's "birth", with a black sun and malevolent flames that seem to reach out for any signs of life.

Shirou is able to focus the flames on a target, but as they are malevolent in nature, his control over them is not absolute and using this Authority within the presence of allies runs the risk of slaying them as well.

The only one able to walk unscathed within these cursed flames is Shirou himself, as they embody the burns he carried inside his very soul, the ones that hollowed out his humanity and forged the 'Sword named Emiya Shirou'.

It is not very effective against those with a 'monstrous' origin, or those with an affinity towards 'malevolence', and not effective at all against Sun Gods, but those also aligned with Steel will take some damage from the flames.

Shirou is currently unaware of this Authority.

* * *

**Clarifications**

Void Avesta's revised Presence Concealment 

As one 'Expelled' from the 'Creation', Shirou holds no presence due to this Authority. Coupled with his usual passive nature, this makes him feel like an ordinary person to the average observer. In addition, it prevents him from being recognized as 'Emiya Shirou' if his appearance differs enough from his established identity (Canon Shirou appearance), to the extent that his name will be unable to be heard unless he personally tells it to an individual.

Campione normally possess a distinctive Aura about them that allows even the novice mage determine their nature. Shirou possesses this as well, but it's so minimized as to be unrecognizable to one not looking for it. Gods are able to determine his nature as a Campione, as it is impossible to hide it completely, even with the use of an Authority, but they cannot gauge his powers or strength.

Because he has no 'presence', he obtains one based on a person's judgment of him, and this Authority pushes that judgment of Shirou towards marking him as someone 'irrelevant', though significant information otherwise may break through that perception. However, that requires the ability to change one's own established preconceptions as well as a conscious decision to think of him otherwise, so it is more likely that they will disregard him as 'just another average person'.

Liliana had already rationalized Shirou as an impossibly strong mage before a Campione, and since she didn't have anything to contradict that while he was in his 'ordinary' appearance, she couldn't bring herself to think of him as a Campione. She realized otherwise when Voban forcefully changed that preconception.

Erica was already suspicious of Shirou from the start, being an observant and naturally curious individual, and the duel with Shirou allowed her to piece together the fact that Shirou wasn't 'ordinary', despite what he appears and could be said to be on the same level as Salvatore Doni. A fact that tentatively equated him to a Campione in her mind, as the level of Salvatore Doni was the same level that allowed someone to take a god's sword, which should not be able to harm them being their own Authority, and kill them with it. Seeing Liliana with Shirou, who shouldn't know her allowed her to make the final leap to the fact that Shirou was a Campione.

Clarification on obtaining other Authorities

Shirou permanently copies a number of the Authorities that his opponent has used against him since the beginning of their fight, based upon compatibility with his personality as well as Angra Mainyu's 'Curse', modified to suit Shirou's nature. He also obtains temporary control of any active Authorities his opponent is using, though this control may be regained by his opponent once they realize what's happening.

Clarification on Shirou's Reality Marble being destroyed

It's not so much that his Reality Marble being destroyed completely to the extent that it's unavailable, since Reality Marbles are the reflection of the inner world in one's soul, but that his Reality Marble that could store swords at a glance and keep them there are gone. That's what he meant when he said that it was destroyed.

His soul was completely shattered, with only fragments leftover after the events leading to this story, so it's a given that his Reality Marble suffered a similar fate.

* * *

**Guest Review Replies:**

Chapter 4

tihr: Glad you enjoyed the fight! Mm, I can see where you're coming from on the restrictions, and I'll review them in my reread this weekend. Glad you like the authorities though!

LL: Maybe yes, maybe no? Not willing to answer yet.

Guest 7: Yes, she was referring to the authorities Shirou has.

That guy: Glad you like the chapters, and I do indeed have an idea of where I'm going with this.

Guest: Not as of the latest chapter, though he'll realize it in the next.

Knight of zero: To an extent yes? And serial escalation is something I quite enjoy in a story, so... yes to the latter part as well?

Guest who keeps correcting typos: Thank you, and I'll endeavor to be even more vigilant in the next update.

Mm: He's a red-head, though he looks like Archer when using reinforcement.

FSN Guest: The wiki says it can also be romanize as Void Avesta (not sure how, really...) but since it fits, I went with it. He will indeed get an offensive Authority in the near future through defeating a certain Heretic God. Glad you're enjoying it, by the way.

Guest: I do plan on giving him a Reality Marble, though that's more endgame stuff. I'll try not to screw things up, but I do apologize in advance if things get derailed. I'll try not to do it deliberately, and try to be careful, but, well, I am also learning as I go, so it might happen. But I'm glad that you think I'm doing a good job.

Anon: Indeed. It's truly ironic, isn't it?

77777777777: I do have something planned for the restrictions, though I might adapt it to the meeting every restriction gives a powerup. I'll think about it some more on my next reread.

Guest: Indeed, Shirou is happy to have saved so many people.

edus: Yep, Shirou killed Voban, and the following chapters revealed what happens next.

Guest11: No comment?

That guy: Magic.

Shuffle: Gotcha, and thank you for your understanding.

b: Yes, I'll let you know when he's using something specific, but he won't call them out. This isn't a Shounen anime or manga, after all.

IIIII: I... don't really remember either.

divine forging: Yep, all of the above. Not too sure where I'll take it just yet, but I'm brainstorming.

Type moon: Er... I'll just leave it vague and say 'a lot' since I don't want to be wrong on any possible numbers.

Guest: Yes, Ganjiang and Moye look like the broken versions of Kanshou and Bakuya.

TGIF: I have no comment?

Frack: It is something outrageous, but also something that could be guessed at from recent events. I will not confirm anything though.

TCMad: Interesting thought, but maybe a bit too contrived in my opinion.

Chapter 5

Guest1: I meant that I intended to take a break without touching it, but I couldn't resist after GSBW was updated.

a: It is indeed from the second authority. I should make that clearer, in hindsight...

kadzooks: Well, I suppose so. Shirou would indeed be a Campione Killer.

Original: I greatly appreciate the long review you left. I'm not sure how to respond to it, and I don't really want to fill up the chapter with a long response, but I do thank you for it.

LL: Hope you enjoyed the next one.

Guest: I'll explain more on that when I add on what Authorities he gained.

Different: Glad I'm doing things right so far.

Guest: I can see your point, and I have modified the scene a little to suit.

edus: Glad you're liking it still.

Anon: Hah... that would be funny, but we'll see.

Good for you: I did. They were very delicious and put a hole in my friend's pocket. XD

Thank you: Yep. That absurd luck is both good and bad at times, I guess.

Guest: Thanks!

Guest: Thank you as well!

Troll: Of course I listen! It's the only way I can improve, particularly since I'm well aware of how blind I can be to my own work's flaws. It's always constructive to hear other people's perspectives. And yes, the best lunch is one acquired at the cost of another's loss. :nods:

That guy: I do try. For the second part, no I didn't?"

snark/guest: Never underestimate the power of focused 15 minute sessions spread throughout the day.

That guy: Your suggestions, as always, are noted.

Guest: That about sums it, yes.

We: A lot? Think about three times rank A?

Vamp: No, it was because his affinity was only towards swords. He could use other magecrafts, but not with precision. Granted, he was also using it improperly, so we don't know how formidable he'd be if properly trained as a specialist.

Guest: ...Dramatic foreshadowing that may or may not mean anything?

Sage: Mm, interactions between characters will need some more thinking on my part. I plan to have them react organically once I get a good picture in my head, but I think it might boil down to if they actively try to hurt people or not while in his presence.

Guest: I'll not disrespect the efforts put in for the translations, but I do agree that I wish it was better worded.

j: No. Shirou will be the only other fate character here. No one else knows he's even alive, after all, from that world.

that guy: They were magnificent. As for being polar opposites, I meant in terms of narative filigree, though that might just be my (admittedly biased) opinion. GSBW can be very tangential at times, where the main plot is buried beneath other things that don't advance the story, while I attempt to ensure everything written comes up at some point again. Well, key word being attempt. There might be some plot holes here and there, but I'm still learning, so forgive me on those.

random guest: Mainly just slight edits in wording and making Shirou's apartment a two-bedroom one.

Chapter 6

Bleach5700: I'll make a note explaining this later, but it's mainly because it prevents him from being 'recognized', not hide his identity completely. Given enough hints, intentional or not, or fighting against him will allow someone to make the connection, however. As for the second part, you know that, I know that, no one outside of the ones who saw him fight knows that.

Pattern: I'll make no promises, as I might break them. I can understand your concern however. As for Shirou being somewhat unbelievable, I'll reread the chapter with that in mind and edit accordingly this weekend.

Hints: I can't confirm or deny anything on the mentioned gods, but I will say that I find it interesting how people jump to it being Greek in origin.

Neshuakadal: I'll address that in my edits this weekend. Seems like it brought up a lot of confusion, so I'll do my best to remedy it.

Typo: Again, I appreciate it and shall endeavor to be ever vigilant.

Guest: You got it! Though since it isn't quite clear from this chapter, I'll edit it to make sure it's less obscure.

Troll: Just a little cameo. Nothing important will come of it. As for that... yes. Yes I did. Do not underestimate the power of spaced out writing sessions. :nods:


	7. Salvation of the Damned: I

**Chapter 6: Salvation of the Damned I**

Shirou was examining his new powers, his 'Authorities' that should have come with being a Campione. He had managed to get a look at them for once, no longer obscured as they were when he had first tried analyzing his body and its limits. It seemed that using them had managed to 'break' the veil that were hiding them from him. Or rather it was more like using them had connected Shirou to their divine nature. Either way, he had figured out what they were.

First of all, they were Authorities gained from Angra Mainyu. One for both forms of the god he had killed, as the embodiment of all evil, and one as the sacrifice expelled from creation to bear the curse of all the world's evil.

'Incarnation of Evil' and 'Void Avesta'. Those were the names of his Authorities.

The first was something that let him permanently copy a few of the Authorities that had been used against him from an opponent that could be called 'True Evil'. It was powerful, as it let Shirou copy Voban's Authority that let him bring back the dead, but also heavily restricted.

The second was... well, Shirou wasn't entirely sure what it was. The only thing he really got from it was that it 'hid' him from the World and everything in it, while making people jump to conclusions about him being 'ordinary'. Of course, it wasn't perfect, and if there were enough hints about his powers, intentional or not, people could figure out he was a Campione, or at the least someone not normal.

"...Crap."

If he had known that earlier, he would have been more careful. As it was, he had absolutely no doubt in his mind that Erica had figured out he was a Campione. He had already tipped his hand by sparring with her, but seeing him with Liliana, who would have only gone with the one who had killed Voban, someone that had clearly used Authorities in that fight, would have been the last hint she needed.

Still, it wasn't unsalvageable. He just had to be more careful from now on. Void Avesta made it impossible to recognize him if he was wearing a disguise (and was Shirou ever thankful that his reinforcement magic changed himself to his old looks when he fought), so he just needed to pick out an outfit to make himself indistinguishable.

Kind of like a super hero costume.

Shirou blinked as that thought came to mind. "...It's gone full circle, hasn't it?"

He had stopped pursuing that dream to save the ones he cared about, but now it seemed that he would be picking it up again. "A super hero... huh?"

Someone who was a defender of justice. Who protected the civilians and could save everyone.

It was ironic how things turned out.

A glance at the clock showed that it was close to midnight. Shirou didn't really need much sleep these days, but he decided to call it a night.

* * *

Dreaming. He was dreaming again.

Thankfully, this one wasn't another of those surreal dreams, but a rather calm one.

An endless wasteland, stretching out towards the horizon. The ground was war torn, cut as if countless blades raked across the earth, leaving a twilled pattern in its wake, parallel diagonal lines reminiscent of a weaved quilt.

It was... peaceful. There was no conflict here. War once crossed its lands, but now there was nothing left but this empty expanse. No... that wasn't right. There was something left, a small patch where life continued. A distant hill on the horizon bearing a single tree, with petals scattering.

A nostalgic feeling, a hollow yearning.

_**** body *** made to ****_

* * *

Shirou woke up with a start.

A glance at the clock showed that it was still far too early to get up, only four in the morning. Even then, Shirou wasn't tired, and he wasn't one to lie around in bed until it was time to get up.

He got out of bed and sat down at his desk, deciding that since he was up he might as well be productive and get some studying in. At least he tried.

"...Should I really be doing this right now?"

A question echoing in his head. What should he be doing now that he knew that peaceful life was a lie? And was it even worth pretending to be normal anymore?

He was a Campione. A God Slayer who stood above all others, save his peers. Someone who had done the impossible and killed a god, taking their power as his own.

There were magi out there... no. Mages. That was the term used here. There were mages out there, who may or may not be targeting regular people for experiments.

He couldn't continue as he had now that he knew. That thin veneer... the veil had been pulled away on his life.

So, what should he do?

A defender of justice. He had given up on that ideal. It was impossible to save everyone. To save one meant to condemn another. Every action had a reaction, and he was-

_Now aware of loss, but not of gain_

-not going to be able to fulfill that dream. Even if he tried, he was doomed to fail. He couldn't save everyone...

Shirou sighed, closing his textbook. "...But it's not wrong to want to save someone, either."

He had already paid his dues. He should have died, and he was sure he did die in saving them. But now he had a second chance in a new world, placed in a position where he could save people. Where there were monsters and gods that people needed saving from.

"Man. I guess I'm really hopeless after all, aren't I, Rin?"

It was decided from the start. Emiya Shirou was not someone that could stand by and watch when there were those who needed help, when there were those who were placed in danger.

The question was... how could he help them?

No. That could be decided later when Liliana woke up and he learned more about this world he found himself in. There was a far more pressing matter at hand, something that he had to address before he could do anything else.

"What should my disguise be?"

* * *

Liliana was awake and determined to make up for the embarrassment the previous night.

"Stupid Erica..."

That blonde devil had gone on and on about how 'romantic' the whole situation was between her and Shirou. Liliana had gotten swept up in the moment and before she knew it, she was wearing a maid outfit and lost in her own fantasy of herself and a kind lord, someone who would save her from harm and stand by her side no matter what.

Then Shirou had returned without her noticing, and she had thrown a pillow at his face out of sheer embarrassment. That was bad enough on its own, but then she had accidently gone into his room instead of hers.

She was thankful that he didn't seem to take offense to that, but Liliana was still determined to make up for last night.

It wouldn't happen again. That was just a momentary lapse in judgment, an irrational decision caused by her childish fantasies, something she wouldn't allow to repeat itself.

Shirou was a Campione, first and foremost, before he was a person. Despite how kind he was, as her King, it was her responsibility to serve him as best as she could. That meant doing the exact opposite of everything Erica had told her the other night, like addressing Shirou as her M-master.

Liliana shook her head and lightly slapped her cheeks. _Focus!_

It was morning. Shirou was a morning person, as she discerned from the time he woke up the previous day, and performed his morning rituals the moment he exited his room. However, he seemed to be the type to leave the house without eating. That couldn't do. Even a Campione shouldn't skip the most important meal of the day.

Liliana nodded. It was well in her capabilities to do that much.

While she was a capable knight, her King wasn't the type who needed her help in combat. In fact, it was more likely that she would hinder him rather than aid him.

But she could support him in this manner at least. Unlike Erica, Liliana was quite well-versed in the 'homemaking' skills, which included cooking. Even Marquis Voban couldn't deny her talents (something she was thankful for as she doubted he would have kept her around if she had been anything less than masterful in preparing his food or cleaning his estates) so she was confident that she wouldn't fail him in this regard.

With that in mind, she quickly changed into a more presentable attire, her uniform, then headed towards the kitchen to see what she could prepare for her king.

* * *

Shirou came out of his meditative trance and looked at the outfit in front of him. It was harder than he thought it would be to come up with a disguise, since it seemed that his mind was drawn towards Archer's outfit when he thought about creating one.

No one in this world could make the connection between him and EMIYA, but even then something about that felt... wrong.

The outfit was a symbol of the hero EMIYA. It was something that the man had crafted through blood, sweat, and tears, just as symbolic of his path as the man's Reality Marble. The mark of a hero, even if he regretted his path.

Shirou couldn't take that from him. Even if it was extremely practical and perfect for his use. No, he had to find something different, something that was both distinct from his usual look and yet just as practical as that red knight's attire.

As he scoured his head for any other ideas, he found a memory coming to mind, belonging to this world's Emiya Shirou.

In his prime, Shirou's adopted father had commonly worn a black longcoat on his travels over a black suit and dress pants, with matching shoes.

Not quite practical for Shirou's mode of fighting, since that outfit was designed to both give Kiritsugu an authoritative presence while he went about his business as well as the space to hide his tools, but a few modifications made it work.

First, he decided to make the coat leather. That had a higher threshold for reinforcement than simple cloth, and would offer a layer of additional defense.

Next, the dress shirt and pants were exchanged for a loose fitting black long-sleeved shirt and pants. The dress shoes were swapped with a pair practical sneakers, white with good grip.

To finish off the outfit, there were a pair of white gloves and a crimson scarf that would cover the bottom half of his face.

With that design decided, Shirou projected a mirror and a copy of the outfit he had in mind, swapping out his clothes for the disguise. A quick reinforcement later and his disguise was complete.

Shirou stared at his reflection in the mirror, examining the disguise from all angles and refining details where his image wasn't clear.

It probably would have been easier to just get it tailor made, but Shirou never knew when he might need it, so memorizing it and projecting it when he needed it was much more practical.

Though he might have to alter his shirt and pants rather than project them, now that he thought about it...

A familiar sound drew him out of his thoughts and back to the present. Pots and pans shifting, a knife hitting a cutting board.

_Is that Liliana?_ Shirou sighed and changed back into his regular clothes before heading towards the kitchen.

Like he thought, the silver haired knight was cooking. That wasn't too surprising. No, what was surprising was the sheer focus she was putting into the action.

Completely gone was the cheerful girl from yesterday, and back was the stern knight. She went about her efforts with enough determination that Shirou was concerned she was going to hurt herself in her efforts.

Shirou made to stop her, but hesitated and decided to let her be. If she was going to put that much effort into it, he wasn't going to stop her. It would be like trying to stop Sakura when she put her mind on something...

He sighed when he realized where his mind was taking him and headed towards the bathroom. _Maybe a shower will help me clear my head._

* * *

Liliana let out a satisfied sigh as she finished setting out the food on the table. There hadn't been much in the fridge, as it seemed her king didn't take to eating in very often, but what was there allowed her to cook some elaborate dishes. She would have to take a trip later to the stores and buy some groceries, but this would do for now.

She wasn't sure if her king was partial to Western or Eastern food, so she hoped that he wouldn't mind that she had gone with what she knew. She had to get a bit... creative to make up for the missing ingredients, but if that failed her king could at least eat the simple continental breakfast she had made. Toast, an omelet, and some tea. You couldn't go wrong with that. Well, maybe some orange juice would have been better, but there hadn't been any in the fridge, so-

"That looks good, Liliana."

She spun towards it, her instincts causing her to act before rationale kicked in.

Shirou was standing behind her, wearing his school uniform. He raised an eyebrow and said, "...I appreciate the dedication, Liliana, but it wouldn't hurt to relax a bit. I don't know what that old guy made you do as his knight... and I'm seriously starting to get concerned from the way you act, but I can take care of myself."

Liliana blinked. She blinked again when she realized that she had grabbed the plate with the omelet and was holding it in front of Shirou, like some... maid.

She cringed. _Not again! _"I- this isn't..."

Shirou gave her a calm smile. "Relax. I don't mind."

Before she could protest, Liliana found herself gently pushed into a seat with a plate of food in front of her.

* * *

Breakfast was a quiet affair. Liliana seemed to still be uncomfortable around Shirou, but at least she didn't seem scared of him anymore. Instead, she appeared to have thrown herself into her role as a 'knight', trying to be as stoic as possible.

Shirou sighed, but decided to let it be. Things like that didn't change overnight, especially if they had a long precedent.

At the moment, Shirou was washing the dishes. Liliana had tried to dissuade him, but he wouldn't budge on the issue, and she backed down, going to do her own morning rituals in the meanwhile.

After everything was done, Shirou sat down in the lounge, and had Liliana sit across from him. She still seemed embarrassed about something, but when she saw Shirou's expression, that faded.

It was time to get serious.

"Voban said that you could tell me more about what it means to be a Campione."

Liliana nodded. "Yes, mi- Shirou. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them."

Shirou paused for a moment. A Campione. A God Slayer, and one beyond humanity's grasp. He understood that part. But...

"Are there any organizations out there to stop Campione or Heretic Gods?"

That was the biggest question. He was lucky that there hadn't been any casualties in the last battle. While he would always do his best to save people, he couldn't be everywhere. If there were some others that would stand by him, people who could evacuate the bystanders, he would be much relieved.

Liliana frowned. "You don't know, Shirou? But... aren't you a mage?"

"...Yes. But I was never a part of any organization." Kiritsugu had warned him about the Clock Tower enough to put him off ever considering revealing himself. "I was always more of a spellcaster than an actual magu- mage."

A part of the truth. It seemed to confuse Liliana, but she accepted it. "I see. Then it's no wonder you didn't know what a Campione was. Though... I'm curious. At least one organization should have contacted you when you became a Campione, Shirou. You mean to say that none have?"

"No. Up until a few days ago, I didn't even know organizations like that existed."

Liliana's frown deepened. "But you are a mage, are you not? How did you learn magic if you were not part of an organization?"

Shirou hesitated. "That's..."

Kiritsugu had taught him. But that was 'his' Kiritsugu, the one who had wanted to become a Defender of Justice, a superhero that could save everyone. The magus who had saved him from the cursed flames in Fuyuki over ten years ago.

This world's Kiritsugu wasn't like that. Cold, ruthless. He had tried his best through mundane methods, and saved countless lives, but he had also doomed countless others. He knew that from the memories of 'Emiya Shirou'. An ordinary man who chose to try and become above ordinary, a man who became a mercenary to save as many as he could from the corruption of this world.

Even so, he hadn't been a magus.

So... what could Shirou say? He hadn't considered it at all, but the fact that he knew magic was important. If what Voban said was true, he didn't have anything to fear from modern mages, but they could make his life a lot more complicated if they found out that he knew magic without having a way to know magic.

"Ah, nevermind," Liliana said. "I was only curious, Shirou. You don't have to tell me."

He nodded. Yes, it was better to let her come to her own conclusions. After all, he couldn't say that he learned magic in a past life and just so happened to still be able to use it in this one.

"As for organizations, they're generally called Mage Associations. I, myself, am from the Bronze-Black Cross of the Seven Sisters in Italy. That de- um, Erica Blandelli is from the Copper-Black Cross, also of the Seven Sisters."

"Are there any in Japan?"

"I believe that Japan's association is the History Compilation Committee. If I recall correctly, however, they are more oriented towards controlling the knowledge of the supernatural than directly intervening like some of the others. Ah, but even then, there aren't many that can oppose a Campione or Heretic God."

Shirou froze, almost missing the last part that Liliana said. _It can't be..._

That sounded all too familiar. The Clock Tower had a similar policy, didn't they? To eliminate the witnesses, and absolutely not allow any signs of the supernatural to get out. To keep magic a secret, ruthlessly and effectively, even if it meant killing everyone related.

There had been no casualties. That was what Shirou heard, but was it true? Was it possible that it was just a lie? That there were casualties, and that their deaths were just 'erased'?

He didn't know, but in hindsight the fact that there were no casualties was too good to be true. There were too many people downtown at the time. It was impossible that none were killed.

So they hid it. Yes, that made sense. They completely suppressed the knowledge, controlled the information and erased all records. If there were deaths, they were of people who didn't exist. So in a sense, there were no casualties.

A startled gasp, and then a rushed apology. "Forgive my insolence, milord. I do not know what I have done, but if there is a way I can make up for my slight-"

Shirou blinked, and then realized that Durandal had appeared in his hand without thinking. Not only that, but he held it with a white-knuckled grip, with enough force to break any regular sword.

He let out a breath, and willed Durandal away.

When it faded, Liliana relaxed a bit, though it looked like he had reversed any progress he had made with the silver-haired knight.

"...Sorry." A wry smile.

Like a drawn blade... wasn't that how he had been described once? Yes, a sword drawn and prepared to slash without second thoughts. Durandal had come forth on its own volition in response to his thoughts.

He had to be more careful. More wary. He couldn't save anyone if his first impulse was to cut people down. And he would save them, so why did Durandal come into hand without thinking?

He shook his head. "I was just... surprised. How exactly does the History Compilation Committee prevent knowledge of the supernatural from getting out?"

Liliana was still wary, but she seemed to accept his words. "...I am not too sure, milord. But if you wish to know, I can arrange a meeting for you today. Would... would that work?"

Shirou nodded. "That will be fine."

A meeting with the mages behind the scenes, the ones responsible for the secret of the supernatural. He would determine if they were what he believed they were. If they were as ruthless as the Clock Tower in their methods to prevent the knowledge of magic and the supernatural.

_If they are..._

Shirou would stop them.

A King. A God Slayer. Someone beyond humanity's grasp and untouchable to any but his peers and the Gods. That was the role now given to Shirou, and he refused to allow such a travesty to go on if he had the capability to stop it.

A superhero... he couldn't save everyone, but he could at least save those within his reach.

An alarm went off. His phone.

Liliana jumped, and Shirou suppressed the sigh at her reaction.

A glance at the display on his phone showed that he would need to leave in a few minutes if he wanted to make it to school on time.

He got up and grabbed his bag. "I'll be back later today, Liliana. Thank you for your hard work." He inclined his head towards the silver-haired knight and gave her a sincere smile. "I really appreciate it. Ah, make yourself at home while I'm gone. I left some money on the counter for you to buy lunch in case you didn't want to cook, and there's a spare keycard for you to get back in as well."

Liliana gave a hesitant nod in response.

Seeing that, Shirou headed towards the door, but he stopped before leaving and turned back towards Liliana. "I'm sorry for scaring you earlier. It's just... the thought that there might be an organization like that killing people off to keep things secret-" He sighed and shook his head. "Anyway, I'm not mad at you. And I really do appreciate your hard work. So... thanks."

He smiled at Liliana again, and then left.

* * *

Liliana was once again confused by her king's- Shirou's actions.

It was almost like he was two different people at times. One was the ruthless warrior that had killed the oldest Campione. The other was a kind, ordinary person, who was sincere in his actions and words. Someone who would do everything in his power to make sure you were comfortable and safe. At least that was how he came across.

Was it a mask? And if so, which one was the mask and which was his true face?

_It doesn't matter, does it?_ Either way, she was sworn to serve him, and at the least he was better than Marquis Voban. He wasn't the type of person who would kill someone out of hand just to add their power to his own, at least.

That reminded her. She was due to report back to the Bronze-Black Cross. Marquis Voban might have already informed them, but there was always the chance that he hadn't. And then there was the issue of her serving another Campione, who had been completely unknown until his appearance.

Liliana sighed and walked over to the phone to make a call.

* * *

Shirou was on his way to school. The thoughts of the History Compilation Committee were still in his mind, but he set it aside until after school. Liliana would take care of arranging the meeting for him. For the moment, all he had to do was be 'Emiya Shirou', and follow his regular routine.

And he did just that. He sat through class, paid his dues as a student, and interacted with his peers.

...Which reminded him. His Authority was supposed to make him seem like a regular and ordinary student. Just how did he get the role as a prodigy then? Sure, he had managed to do better than a majority of the club members... or rather all of them now that he thought about it. But that didn't mean that he was a prodigy. Anyone could do just as well with some hard work... or was that it?

Maybe instead of being suspicious of his talents, people thought that they were a given and attributed them to 'Emiya Shirou' as being ordinary for him?

Shirou sighed as he headed his way to the rooftop again for lunch, having slipped away from his 'fans' that were deadset on interrogating him about the duel the other day.

He was halfway through opening the door when he suddenly remembered what could be waiting for him on the other side.

Erica was a member of one of those Magic Associations, wasn't she? And Godou was her king, the Seventh and youngest Campione.

The guy seemed nice, but he was still a Campione, a Devil King and God Slayer. Who knew how he would react to finding out that Shirou was a Campione? And a fight breaking out here in the school was something Shirou wanted to avoid at all costs. There were too many people, too many that could be hurt.

_Right._ Shirou should just leave. Maybe he could go eat in that old building no one used anymore. It would be just as isolated as the roof, and he wouldn't need to worry about a possible superhuman level fight breaking out in the middle of the school.

Shirou turned around to do just that-

"Oh, you're here, Senpai?"

-and came face to face with the person he was intending avoid.

Godou smiled and waved his hand, the other holding onto a wrapped lunchbox. "I was kinda expecting you to be absent too, but I guess not."

Shirou frowned. "Absent...?" Were Erica and Yuri not at school?

Godou nodded. "Yeah. Erica and Yuri didn't show up today. I'm kind of worried, actually... They didn't seem so well after we left your house the other day and haven't answered any of my calls."

That was concerning. He didn't know much about Yuri, but Shirou could guess that she was involved in the supernatural side of things as well. And if both her and Erica were absent, it could only mean that they were reporting to their organizations. Though why they left Godou out of the loop was strange, since Shirou would have figured that telling a Campione about another Campione being in the general vicinity would be the most important thing to do.

"Are you still going to eat lunch on the roof, Senpai?"

Godou's question drew Shirou out of his thoughts and reminded him of the precarious situation he was in.

_...Is he faking it?_ It seemed like Yuri and Erica had figured out who he was, so it would follow that Godou should know who he was as well. But he didn't show any signs of knowing that Shirou was a Campione. In fact, he was treating Shirou just like any other underclassman would an upperclassman.

Shirou hesitated. Godou didn't seem like a bad guy, but there was the chance that he was pretending to be normal and polite only because they were at school. Then again, he had thanked Shirou at the end of the fight against Marquis Voban when it was unnecessary and still possible that Shirou was an enemy.

"I don't mean to intrude or anything, but my classmates tend to be a bit... rowdy if I'm by myself. If you don't want me here though I can always go eat lunch with my sister. Sorry about the way she acted last time, by the way. And for the others too. Especially Erica. You don't have to come with us on the trip, you know. It's fine, really. And sorry about how she challenged you to a duel too. Oh, and the other day..."

Godou let out a long sigh. "Nevermind. You probably want your privacy after all we've done. I'll see you around-"

"I don't mind if you eat up here, Godou-san. It's not like I own the roof."

Shirou decided. Even if it was an act (a convincing one too, if it was), he'd risk it. That clumsy response and attitude reminded him a lot about himself when he had started in the war and had to make excuses for it. Besides, even if he was faking it, the Godou he saw in the fight against Voban as well as the one in front of him were hardly the type to involve bystanders in a meaningless fight.

He opened the door and headed towards the roof, Godou walking behind him.

_...I hope I don't regret doing this._

* * *

Erica sighed and slumped back into her bed, having just returned from an urgent trip to Italy early that morning. To be honest, she was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the recent events, especially when it came to what she should tell Godou.

The Marquis was alive. Not only that, but he had sworn his loyalty to the one who killed him, who the oldest Campione called the Eighth Campione. There was also the fact that he insisted on being called the Eighth Campione's Servant, and so stirred up a portion of mages and Heretic Gods alike that thought he had been weakened.

Of course, it turned out that far from being worse off from his encounter with the mysterious Eighth Campione, he had become even stronger, not even needing to use any of his Authorities to defeat his challengers.

Key word being defeat. Surprisingly, as well as exceedingly worrying, the Marquis hadn't slain any of those who opposed him. Well, other than the Heretic Gods, but after the first two fell the rest were wise enough to retreat before being killed.

...And he had let them.

Erica sighed and went looking for an aspirin for her headache.

Emiya Shirou was sending waves across the world, even if he didn't try to. In less than a week, he had overturned the carefully wrought power balance set in place for centuries, all while remaining unknown to the world at large.

A Campione not only cooperating with another, but being completely subservient to him... it was unthinkable. And then there was the fact that said Campione had not been weakened from the ordeal but rather strengthened... a frightening thought.

Emiya Shirou, the Eighth Campione... who just so happened to share the same territory with her own King. Who also would be impossible to connect with the 'Eighth Campione' unless they saw him break that normal image with their own eyes, to the extent that they didn't hear his name when someone said that was the identity of the Eighth Campione.

Erica poured a glass of water and downed the aspirin. With the pain lessened, she could think a bit more clearly.

So she had found out that Emiya Shirou was a Campione. Her dear friend Liliana was his knight, and while Erica had offered some suggestions to her friend to try and divert Shirou's attention, she doubted that it would work.

Erica hadn't forgotten the expression he had given her a few days ago when she called out to him at lunch. Neither did she forget what he said.

_No... you just reminded me of someone I used to know._

_...She's not around anymore._

Though he didn't say it, Erica could tell that he once held someone dear, but that same person was dead. Going further along that line of thinking, it was possible that whoever he had once held dear had died in the same process that led to him becoming a Campione.

It would explain a few things, like how his fighting style was so... empty. As well as the wistful looks he gave whenever he didn't think people were watching.

It didn't explain, however, why he had remained hidden for so long, or how he was so skilled in combat and magic. Nor did it explain why he had suddenly changed this year.

Yes, it was only this past year that Emiya Shirou had changed. His school records showed that he had been a relatively unremarkable student until the beginning of this year. While helpful and studious, he was the type of individual that a person wouldn't take a second glance at.

And that was the problem Erica had.

Emiya Shirou was a mystery. While it seemed that he wasn't a threat, especially with the way he acted at school and around them, there was every chance that he was just a bomb waiting to go off.

No remaining family, independent, and no close associations. He was a man with nothing to lose and everything to gain, yet did not take advantage of his powers. In fact, the only time he had used them was against the Marquis, which was strange in itself as he had ignored the conflict with Athena.

Erica froze. _Could that be it?_

He only interfered after he had met them. Prior to that first day on the roof, there wasn't even a single sign that Emiya Shirou knew of the supernatural. And yet after meeting them, he had taken an active stance, directly involving himself with a battle between two Campione- no, in a battle involving Godou and his friends.

_Does Shirou... consider us friends?_

It was the only thing that made sense.

But even then, it was odd.

Campione couldn't be friends. History had shown that. Throughout time, Campione were either enemies or ignored each other. One coming to the aid of another... it was unthinkable.

But then again, Godou was the type to avoid fights as well, despite his true nature of being a warrior.

Could it be that Japanese Campione were the exception?

Erica sighed. "...At least it seems that Shirou will not be fighting Godou in the near future."

Yes, Erica would have to settle with that. Emiya Shirou would not fight Kusanagi Godou. That was the only thing she could hope for.

Whether or not that would come to pass was something that Erica couldn't predict, but she didn't think that Shirou would decide to hurt them after doing so much to save them from Voban.

...Unless it was all an act and he was waiting to find out more about them before he killed Godou and conquered Japan.

Erica groaned and walked back to her bedroom to take a nap.

She could talk it over with Godou later to decide on a plan of action. If her king could befriend a god, enough that the god would give him all of his Authorities, then maybe that charisma would be enough to avoid making an enemy of Shirou.

She hoped.

* * *

Lunch went better than Shirou had expected.

Godou was the one doing most of the talking, but Shirou didn't mind. If anything, it let him get a better grasp of Godou's character.

And after lunch with just the two of them, Shirou was sure of Godou's character.

To sum it up in one word: normal.

Kusanagi Godou was a normal high school student who managed to stumble his way into the supernatural. He hated breaking from the status quo, didn't like fights, and was also pretty dense. A passive, ordinary, and altogether unimpressive character.

If Shirou had to give his honest impression of the guy from the way Godou had talked to him, as well as what he mentioned, Shirou would say that Godou seemed to be running away from his duty rather than facing it head on. No... not quite running away, but rather avoiding it out of fear, or some other emotion.

_That's going to get him or someone close to him hurt someday._

Shirou shook his head and picked up his bag.

School had ended, and now he had other things to worry about. Godou and his reluctance could be dealt with another day. Hopefully before he made a mistake that he couldn't take back.

Though that would require Shirou revealing that he was a Campione. And since Godou liked his normal life, he would probably reject Shirou out of hand, or react badly. Then again, he was bound to figure it out eventually, so it would probably be better if Shirou told Godou himself before someone else did.

Maybe he should go on that trip with them after all? It would let him get a good read on the rest of their characters, as well as how they interacted.

Shirou let out a breath, relaxing his body. He had been doing it again, applying cold rationale to something he shouldn't.

Though he didn't know them for very long, he counted Godou, Erica, and Yuri as his friends. Even if they were involved in the supernatural, and could potentially become his enemies... they weren't bad people. He didn't think they would try to kill him, or bring organizations like the Clock Tower to his doorsteps.

...On second thought, that Erica might. But that would probably only be if he threatened them, something he had no intention of doing.

Right. That was settled.

Godou, Erica, and Yuri. For those three, he would just act as he always did. Even if they knew he was a Campione, until they broached the subject, he would treat them like he usually did. Godou, at least, would do that if he knew, so Shirou would do the same.

Shirou nodded, and then walked out of the school building... or at least he tried to. There was a crowd of students blocking the entrance, and he couldn't make his way through. Well, he could, but he didn't want to be rude. Not to mention he might hurt someone by accident.

He tapped the closest student, and then said, "What's going on?"

The student didn't turn around, but said, "There's a foreign beauty waiting out there! Silver hair, a pretty face like a fairy's... ooh, who's she waiting for? Is it that Godou. The bastard... if he's snared another girl in his Harem...!"

Shirou blinked, taken aback at the student's venom in regards to Godou, but then realized what he was saying. _A silver-haired beauty, huh? That's gotta be Liliana._

He sighed and braced himself for what he had to do. Then he cleared his throat and said, "I think she's waiting for me. If all of you could get out of my way..."

An instant reaction. Shirou suddenly had the eyes of the entire crowd (which he idly noted was mostly male), and the crowd burst into an uproar.

"What?! She's waiting for Emiya-sama?!"

"Emiya-sama has a girlfriend?!"

"Hey, he's kidding, right? Someone like that can't be waiting for Emiya-sama..."

"Are you stupid? Of course she's waiting for Emiya-sama! Who else could it be, that Kusanagi guy?"

Shirou cringed as the crowd instantly polarized, but took the time to make his way through them. Thankfully, though the crowd was in an uproar they weren't violent or obstructing him.

When he passed them, he quickly made his way to Liliana and grabbed her hand. "Let's go."

"E-eh?! Milord? What's happening over there? Are you alright?" She tensed. "Did that Erica Blandelli do something? Is it because I'm here?"

He shook his head. "No, Erica didn't come to school today. I'll explain later, but right now let's just put some distance between us and the school."

* * *

They headed back to Shirou's apartment. Along the way, Shirou explained the situation at the school to Liliana.

"I see... so because I stood around at the gate, they thought I was your lover?"

"Yeah... my classmates- actually, high school students in general tend to jump to conclusions when they don't have enough information."

Shirou still remembered how easily everyone had been convinced he was a closet gamer heading out to late night gaming tournaments back when he was in the Holy Grail War. You really couldn't trust students to draw logical conclusions, especially when they could find something much more interesting to gossip about.

Liliana nodded. "Understood. I will clear up the misunderstanding at the earliest convenience."

She was being formal again. Shirou had been expecting it after the way he had acted, but it was still a bit disheartening to see her that way.

"Anyway," Shirou said. "Did you manage to get in contact with that group?"

"Yes, they're expecting you at your earliest convenience, Milord."

Shirou sighed at being addressed like that. "It's Shirou, Liliana. I know you want to take your duty seriously, but can you please call me that and not 'Milord', 'King', or 'Master'? At least when it's just us? I mean, I get that we have to keep up appearances, especially when we go to actually meet people, but you don't have to be so formal all the time."

Liliana shook her head. "Milord Shirou is my king, and my master. I had been... lax in my duties until now, so I'm afraid I must decline." She bowed her head. "Please be understanding."

Shirou sighed again. "Fine. I get it, even if I don't really like it."

Liliana raised her head and smiled. "I'm grateful."

They arrived at Shirou's apartment, and he took out his keycard to open the door. "You know where we're supposed to meet them right?"

Liliana nodded. "Yes, Milord. They've given me the location, and will have someone waiting there to guide us as well."

"Alright. I'll put my stuff away and then we can head out. I won't be too long, so you can just wait in the living room, Liliana."

He walked to his room and put his school supplies away, closing the door behind him. A few moments later, some applied reinforcement, some projection magic, and then he was ready.

He glanced at his reflection on a projected mirror one more time, before leaving.

Silver hair and slightly tanned skin from reinforcement. Black leather longcoat and matching clothes. White gloves.

He narrowed his eyes, and a piercing silver gaze reflected back at him.

Seeing that, he nodded. They wouldn't be able to recognize him as 'Emiya Shirou', and at the same time they wouldn't want to ignore him either as just an ordinary student.

A defender of justice and a superhero... he couldn't be one, but at least he looked the part.

It would have to be enough.

He opened the door of his room and headed back to the living room. Liliana was sitting on the lounge. When Shirou walked out, she got to her feet, as if to greet him, but then froze when she saw him.

"Milord?"

A questioning voice. Of course. He didn't look anything like his usual self.

"...Let's go meet this 'History Compilation Committee'."

* * *

They had met a man called 'Amakasu' downtown, their contact to guide them to the meeting. An ordinary sort of guy that could be mistaken for just another businessman.

At the moment, he was driving Shirou and Liliana to the meeting place, some nondescript building that housed the heads of the committee.

"So," Amakasu said. "You're the Eighth Campione, huh?"

Small talk. Shirou didn't have to answer it, but he decided to anyway.

"I suppose."

His response came out clipped, sharp. Not what he intended, but he was a bit unnerved. He hadn't expected the one to meet them to be such an ordinary looking guy, considering he was supposed to be a mage. Granted, Shirou hadn't met many magi or mages yet, but the impression he had of them so far definitely wasn't like Amakasu.

The guy didn't look like he could be part of a ruthless organization similar to the Clock Tower was said to be, but until he knew for sure, he couldn't be too careful.

If he came across as someone too weak, they might think they could beat him and endanger countless lives in the process.

That he couldn't allow.

"Haha, there's no need to be so grumpy. You're making Liliana-san over there uncomfortable, you know?"

Shirou glanced at Liliana, and sure enough the silver-haired knight was tense. It wasn't deliberate, but it seemed that she was also trying to put as much distance between her and him as possible too, her hand twitching towards a non-existent sword at her side.

He let out a breath. "...Sorry."

His nerves were getting to him, and he had been settling into his usual 'mind of steel' that he adopted for combat. He relaxed and saw that Liliana visibly did the same, though she seemed ashamed when she realized it.

"That's better. A king should be mindful of his followers, and especially if one of them is a lady like Liliana-san, who had a tyrant for a previous lord."

"...Are you implying something?"

It was strange. He didn't seem scared of Shirou at all, even treating him casually. Like he was disregarding him out of hand...

"No, I don't mean to criticize you. Think of it as meaningless drivel to fill the silence."

Shirou frowned. _Are they that arrogant?_ To not take him seriously... were they so confident in their ability to oppose that they disregarded him entirely?

It was possible. Even if Campione were supposed to be absolute, standing above everyone else, it was possible that they had a trump card that could be used against him. That they were so confident in its use, they didn't care that he was in their presence.

Shirou was pulled out of his thoughts by the car coming to a halt.

"We're here."

It was a library. Non-descript and out of the way in the corner of Aobodai.

Perfect for an ambush.

Shirou narrowed his eyes and made sure to keep the images of his swords close at hand.

He also stepped close to Liliana, making sure to keep her within his sights at all times.

He might be able to stop any attacks, but she wouldn't be able to.

* * *

A shadowy room. If Shirou were to describe it, he would say it was similar to those scenes in the movies where the villains were hidden, with only their silhouettes visible behind. An auditorium, with four high seats looking down upon the entrance.

Amakasu had led them through the library, past various personnel, to a room in the back, and then left them alone.

Shirou was tense, but it didn't seem like they would attack him. Maybe they were analyzing his reaction to the situation?

Either way, he got ready for a fight.

Liliana seemed to have realized his intentions, as she was just as wary as he was, continually scanning their surroundings.

Now, faced with these mysterious figures, she stayed close by his side, slightly to his right and behind.

Silence, and an oppressive atmosphere.

They broke it first.

One of the shadowed figures, the one at the center, said, "Liliana Kranjcar of the Bronze-Black Cross. You and your king sought an audience with this committee, did you not?" A gravelly male voice that brooked no nonsense.

Liliana nodded and stepped forward. "Yes. Milord wished to learn more of the History Compilation Committee and its operations."

Another of the figures spoke, this one an elderly woman. "And what is your lord's name? You neglected to mention it, and it is clear that he is not Marquis Voban."

"Ah, he's..."

Liliana glanced at Shirou, unsure of how to respond.

He was silent for a moment, analyzing the situation.

_They're confident._ Looking down on him. The four figures before him showed no fear, hesitation, or doubt in their words. He wasn't completely sure, since he couldn't see them behind whatever effects distorted their image, at least without using more reinforcement than he already was. That could be seen as a sign of hostility though, so he didn't want to risk it.

"Milord?"

Liliana's questioning voice.

Right, a name. He had to give them a name to address him as. Shirou wouldn't work. He wasn't sure if his Authority counted that as revealing himself. Something different then, but not too different to forget.

Hm. Rin used German in her arias. A little homage to her then.

"...Weiss."

The first figure nodded. "Well then, Lord Weiss. What is it that you wish to discuss with this committee? Knowledge? Aid? Or perhaps you wish for us to turn a blind eye to your endeavors?"

The words themselves would have sounded patronizing, if it weren't for the sincere tone in which he said it.

Suspicious, but he didn't feel any hostility from them. Only... caution?

Shirou narrowed his eyes.

A test then.

"Before anything else, I want to know how you hide the knowledge of magic and the gods from the public."

He waited. If they refused to tell him, this meeting was done, and he would make plans to actively oppose them. If they were as corrupt as he thought they were, he would end them right now.

A long silence, and Shirou prepared to fight his way out if he had to.

The central figure broke it. "You... want to know how we keep the supernatural hidden?"

Shirou nodded. "Do you kill all the witnesses? Hypnotize the ones you can and eliminate the loose ends by silencing them permanently?"

Another long silence. The air was different though, not tense or oppressive like the other ones.

Shirou glanced at Liliana to see her reaction, and was surprised that she looked stunned at what he said.

The elderly woman from before spoke first. "...My. What a ruthless outlook you have, Lord Weiss. If Mariya Yuri hadn't made her report, we would have assumed you were making overtures of war. Coming in with magic pouring off your body, killing intent clear from the moment you walked in..."

Shirou tensed.

Yuri. He forgot about her. _That's right..._ She had realized something the last time she saw him. What was it?

"Let us be blunt, Lord Weiss," she continued. "We know nothing about you, and you know nothing about us. At the same time, Lord Kusanagi has already made overtures of support, and we have already offered him some in return."

Shirou narrowed his eyes. "Stop avoiding the question. Do you or do you not forcefully silence any witnesses?"

They were wasting time. No, stalling. Were they calling Godou to come help them while he was here? And was it true that the Godou he knew was just a fake after all?

No... he didn't want to believe that.

Movement on the sides of the room. Figures hidden from sight to all but the most observant. Even he barely noticed them, and Liliana had yet to realize it.

_Trace-_

The figure in the center waved his hands and the movement stopped. "Stand down."

Shirou couldn't see him, but he was sure that figure was scrutinizing him.

"Why are you so insistent on that, Lord Weiss? What does it matter to a King like yourself whether or not the public knows of his presence?"

"If you're going to kill innocent people just for something like that, I'll stop you."

A quick response. There was no need to hide it, or hesitate to reply.

Shirou knew nothing about this organization, and they knew nothing about him. That was true.

But if they were an organization that would murder innocent people just because they had stumbled on a scene by accident, or if they were a victim of bad luck, being in the wrong place at the wrong time...

Laughter. Not condescending, but clear and sincere.

Shirou blinked. _What?_

The lights came on, and the shadowed figures were revealed to him.

An elderly woman with long black hair. A gruff middle-aged man with a stern expression. A red-haired man with an analytic gaze. And then an honest looking old man with balding hair.

"It seems that Mariya Yuri was correct, Lady Seishuuin. Our country does indeed hold the oddest of the Devil Kings."

The elderly woman, seeing Shirou's confusion, gave him a small bow. "We apologize for the deception, Lord Weiss, but we had to ensure that you were sincere." She looked at Liliana next and smiled. "Though it appears that it caused no small amount of stress for your knight."

Sure enough, Liliana was tense. She sighed, and then shook her head. "This was a dangerous play."

The gruff man nodded. "Indeed, but it was a gamble worth taking."

He grinned, an expression that reminded Shirou a lot of old Raiga Fujimaru, Taiga's father and head of Fuyuki's local Yakuza.

"Now that the charade is over with, why don't we get to business?"

* * *

Shirou resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, despite his growing headache.

The four figures, Shirou learned, were the heads of the four ancient families that ran the History Compilation Committee. The elderly woman was the head of the Seishuuin, the gruff man was the head of the Renjou, the red-haired man was head of the Sayanomiya, and the honest old man was head of the Kuhoutsuka.

It seemed that Yuri had divined that he was a Campione in their last meeting, as well as that he wanted to save people. She had reported back to the History Compilation Committee, of which she was an associate, and they had decided to test him to see if he was as she reported, and to support him fully if he was.

Apparently, while Godou was a good guy and tried to avoid battle, his few battles had ended with large collateral damage to historical monuments. Granted, it had been in other countries, but the four heads were sure that it would only be a matter of time for his destructive to spill out in Tokyo. And considering the population density of Japan's largest city, the casualties would be immense.

At the moment, the four heads, Shirou, and Liliana had moved to a more casual office room with a plain desk to continue the meeting.

"Let me get this straight. You want to support me, since this whole committee is devoted to protecting the normal people from the supernatural, rather than hiding it from them, and our goals coincide. Not only that, but you want me to stop Godou when I can, since he's prone to mass destruction in his battles?"

Lord Renjou nodded. "As you say, Lord Weiss. Of course, you are free to do as you will. Even if we marshaled all our forces, we would not be able to match the might of your Authority, but we would like to avoid such a scenario if possible."

"That won't happen. I'm glad, actually. I'd seriously misjudged you all." He bowed his head. "Sorry."

There was a collective gasp, and an assortment of reactions to that.

Lord Renjou shook his head. "Hah, a humble Campione? I've seen it all now."

Shirou raised his head.

This meeting had gone even better than he expected.

He had gone in expecting to make enemies, and instead found willing allies. Not only that, but his allies were people that could help those he couldn't reach, protect those that had no means of protecting themselves.

Of course, that was all contingent on Shirou taking care of any threats, as well as minimizing his younger Campione peer's destructive impulses, but considering that he expected to have to fight off people left and right throughout Japan after this meeting, it was a pleasant surprise.

Yes, everything was great. With that, he could become a... well, not a superhero. That was still impossible, but at least like this he could protect a lot of people.

Shirou smiled, happy at the promising future-

The door to the room slammed open, and a haggard Amakasu ran in. "It's a disaster! A Heretic God's appeared downtown, and casualties have already reached a few hundred! Lord Kusanagi is present, but his Authorities aren't having any effect!"

Shirou's smile vanished, and he jumped out of his seat. "Liliana."

The knight nodded. "I'm with you."

* * *

Amakasu drove them downtown at a breakneck pace, but they were forced to stop when they got into the urban part of the city due to numerous car crashes on the roads.

From that point on, Shirou and Liliana took to the rooftops, Shirou using his reinforced limbs to leap from building to building while Liliana used her flight magic.

They were still far from the sight of the god's appearance, but Shirou could already see and feel the effects of its appearance.

An oppressive air... no, one that pulled at your nerves, making you feel on edge. One that sapped at your strength as well as dulled your mind.

"Liliana. Regular humans can't fight Heretic Gods. Is that true?"

"Yes," she said. "Mages and knights like myself can wound them, but it will be up to a Campione or another god to kill them."

Shirou nodded. He wasn't too sure if that was just because gods were so far beyond ordinary people's abilities or because of a concept preventing them from dying to normal human hands, but he wouldn't take any chances.

"Then I want you to stay back when we get there. Help people who need it. I'll take care of the god myself."

"But-"

"I don't want you getting hurt. If it's true that humans can't match gods, then there's no point. Please."

For a moment, Shirou thought she would agree, but then she shook her head. "I refuse."

"Good, I thought- wait. Did you say you refuse?"

Liliana's face was red, but she nodded. "I... may have been remiss in my duties recently, but I _am_ a knight, milord. I've trained all my life in the sword and magic to aid in situations like this. And as a knight, it would be against my honor and pride to leave my King to fight alone."

Shirou came to a stop.

Liliana did the same.

"...You're being stubborn."

"As are you, Milord."

"...You could die."

A faint smile. "Even so, I will fight by your side as best as I can."

Shirou crossed his arms. "As your King, I order you to remain behind and out of the battle."

Liliana hesitated, but then shook her head. "Forgive me, Milord, but that is an order I cannot accept. You may punish me afterwards, but I will be at your side in this fight."

He stared her in the eye, willing her to back down.

It would be dangerous. She could die, though Shirou would do everything in his power to prevent that.

_Why did I bring her along again?_

If Shirou really wanted to protect her, he would have knocked her unconscious and left her behind. That was an assured method to keep her safe.

Instead, he had asked her to come with him. They were already this far, so why was he hesitating?

"...Why? I already told you that you don't have to go this far, Liliana. I might be a Campione, and Voban might have entrusted you to be my knight, but you don't have to do that. There's no reason for you to go this far."

That was the answer.

It had been an unconscious reaction. He had rarely gone into a battle alone in the war, so he accepted Liliana's aid without hesitation.

But there shouldn't be a reason for her to go along with it. Even if it was duty or pride, to go so far for him when they barely knew each other...

"I've done nothing but trouble you since we've met," Shirou said. "If anything, you should be upset with me, angry that I caused so much trouble. You've already done your part."

Liliana shook her head. "You're too kind, Milord- no, Shirou. But I'm not a maiden to be rescued d-despite what I may have implied through my recent actions." She met Shirou's gaze with an unyielding look. "I will fight with you, whether I live or die. That is my oath right now as your knight. I will protect you."

He looked into those eyes, a clear blue that reminded him of a different girl with aqua eyes...

Shirou sighed. "Fine. But stay close to me. I absolutely won't forgive you if you die."

Liliana nodded. "Of course."

"Alright, now let's-"

A malevolent presence, one that was almost suffocating. A feeling that put all his nerves on edge, telling him to _fightkillend_ the one in front of him.

_Save him._

No. That was wrong. It was a fake feeling, a curse that was trying to bend his will to oppose the one in front of him.

"Truly, the Fates are cruel, young king. Though in this respect, perhaps it is rather that He is afraid enough to bring us together as foes rather than allies."

A young man with hair that had gone gray. Eyes shifting every color of the rainbow...

"Forgive me."

Darkness blanketed the rooftops. When it cleared, the young man wasn't alone.

Over a dozen men and women of various ages, with elongated fangs and yellow eyes appeared at his side.

Liliana took a step back. "It can't be... you are-"

The young man smiled, a twisted and mocking expression. "Scorn me, young king. Hate me, and hunt me down. Until then, until you have killed me, they cannot be saved."

Shirou froze.

"You..."

A cross on his forehead. The mark that was both a curse and divine protection.

The one who committed the first murder, as well as the one who had suffered the most because of it.

Caine shook his head. "Time is short, young king. You cannot save everyone, despite your desire. Who will you choose to let live and who will you choose to die?"

The first murderer stepped back off the roof, leaping into the air. "Decide soon. I cannot stop this curse once it has been released."

"Wait-"

Shirou started after him, but was intercepted by Caine's minions.

_You cannot save everyone._

_Save them._

_Save him._

A drum, a compulsion.

_Choose._

Shirou grit his teeth as the vampires approached.

_Damn it!_

* * *

Chaos. A scene from hell itself.

Monsters roaming the streets, the dead rising once more to attack the living and add to their numbers.

One of them surged towards Godou, clawed hands reaching to tear out his throat.

Erica intercepted it with her blade, cutting the monster down.

"Pay attention, Godou! If you don't hurry..."

A pained gasp. Yuri clutched her chest behind him, her breath ragged.

Erica wasn't in much better shape. She had a gaping wound on her side, the aftermath of the brief exchange between her and the Heretic God.

_"Time is short, young king. You cannot save everyone, despite your desire. Who will you choose to let live and who will you choose to die?"_

"Dammit...!"

They were in the Roppongi District, hiding in an abandoned building.

Afterschool, Godou had gone to see Erica. After some discussion, they decided to get Yuri and go talk to Shirou again, after some veiled hinting from the girls.

Godou wasn't sure why they were so insistent on it, but went along with their plans.

And then everything went wrong.

Crimson air. Average people convulsing and then turning into vampires. Death all around.

The source of it was the sudden appearance of that Heretic God, the gray-haired young man.

_"Scorn me, young king. Hate me, and hunt me down. Until then, until you have killed me, they cannot be saved."_

Godou was helpless. He was unaffected by the curse since he was a Campione, but Erica and Yuri...

He clenched his hands.

This wasn't like with Voban or Athena. At least with them, he had a fighting chance.

Caine. That was the name of the descended Heretic God. One so famous that even Godou knew about him, enough to use the Warrior Authority.

But it wasn't enough.

It wasn't an Authority, but a curse from another God. One that couldn't be challenged, with an absolute dominion.

Because of that, Erica had to attack Caine, and was injured. Because of that, Yuri was on the verge of losing her humanity and becoming a vampire.

"Dammit!"

Godou punched the wall.

Useless. He was useless!

Erica placed a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be alright, Godou. Relax." She gave him a smile, dimmed with pain but still bright. "I believe in you, my King. You'll surely find a way out of this."

"I-"

The wall burst open, and a horde of vampires emerged.

Godou froze.

It was an instant. He could see the situation about to occur.

He had already used the Raptor to escape from the vampires earlier, taking Erica and Yuri with him. He had already used the Camel to fight off the ones they couldn't flee. He had already used the Boar to stop another horde. The Bull had been depleted to stop another ambush. And his other Authorities couldn't be used here.

"Take Yuri and run! I'll hold them off!"

Erica squared her shoulders and faced the vampires with Cuore di Leone.

"No, Erica-"

She turned towards him and smiled, her usual brilliant expression. One offset by the tears running down her cheeks.

"Aishiteru."

_I love you._

With only that word, she rushed forward, a desperate act to buy Godou just another few moments. To try and protect the one she loved for just a few more moments.

-He didn't deserve it. To have someone like that supporting him, to have the absolute faith of a brilliant girl like that...

He didn't deserve it. He hadn't earned it.

He was just an ordinary guy who stumbled upon supernatural powers.

But Erica didn't think so.

She believed in him, even when he didn't believe in himself.

She trusted him to pull through, trusted in his assured victory.

She... was willing to give her life for this foolish guy that couldn't even fight by himself.

Yuri was behind him. Erica was in front of him.

_Choose._

He couldn't save both. No, he didn't have the ability to save either.

"...Ridiculous."

He was a Campione, wasn't he? The Devil King that defies Fate, that could overcome any odds.

So it was stupid. No, it was unacceptable.

_Do you approve of this, child of man?_

A voice in his head. One he vaguely remembered.

Of course he didn't. The cold rationality of the gods, the ones that dictated fate to be this way.

_Then all you need to do is smash it. The irrationality that allowed you to slay the gods... That is what you are._

A Campione.

One who overturns the reason of the gods. One who is the enemy of the world, defying the natural logic of what should be.

"Like hell I'll accept this messed up reality!"

Godou didn't know what he was doing. He didn't even know if he had the ability to stop them, to save Erica and Yuri. But even so, he had to try- no, not try.

He _would_ save them, even if he made the world and all the gods his enemy...!

A sweeping scythe of black magic and a flash of emerald. In an instant, the horde was cut down.

"Well said, Kusanagi Godou. Fitting for my fated opponent."

Godou's eyes widened. "Athena?"

The goddess nodded, offering him a small smile. "Indeed, it is I, Athena."

"Hm... this Kushina finds your king lacking, Athena."

He stared at the other speaker, an older girl in her late teens with an emerald kimono and black locks of curled hair.

Athena shook her head. "He is still young, but his potential is great." She paused and scrutinized Godou. "And it seems that he has already awakened to it. Excellent."

_Potential...?_

"Ah... you're safe." Erica's weak voice. "Then I... suppose I can rest now... right, Godou?"

Godou smiled. "Yeah, you-"

A thud. Erica fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.

"ERICA!"

* * *

A/N: Well... this chapter didn't go quite how I planned it to go, but there's so much I have to set up for the end game.

Still, I hope it was a good read. It might have its high and low points in terms of quality, but I think overall it should be decent.

For now, that's all I'll say.

Leave a review on the way out if you can. Each one helps me refine the story and only serves to make it better.

I'll see you all next year, or in Sword of Origin if I can finish that up.

Until the next, Happy Holidays!


	8. Salvation of the Damned: II

**Chapter 7: Salvation of the Damned II**

Shirou stood ten meters from the edge of the building's roof. Liliana stood behind him, a few paces away.

And before him, less than a meter away from the roof's edge, stood over a dozen men and women. Innocent bystanders that had been twisted into horrific monsters by Caine's malevolent curse.

_Save them._

Shirou grit his teeth. This wasn't supposed to happen.

_Save them._

It was barely visible, a dark miasma in the air. It gave everything a tainted feel, an oppressive atmosphere that was the physical manifestation of Caine's curse.

He had to save them. Ordinary people couldn't stand in this presence for long. A brief glance back revealed that Liliana wasn't excluded from that group, though it seemed her magical training allowed her to suppress it to a degree of simple irritation rather than imminent danger.

_Save them._

Shirou stared at the ones in front of him.

Save them. He had to save them. He had to, but he couldn't. The only thing he could do was cut them down. Kill them. He didn't have a convenient miracle at hand, a Magic that could let him break this curse. No, the only thing he had were swords, blades meant to cut, to maim, to kill.

A woman staggered forward, clutching her throat. Her eyes were dripping with tears of blood, and she reached out towards him. "Help... me..."

Shirou stilled. For a moment, he imagined Taiga in that woman's place. Something that could have happened, all too easily back then. Something that he could have stopped in his past life, but now...

...They hadn't moved. Though the curse had taken them, though it turned them into Caine's thralls, those people had yet to make a hostile move towards him. The most they had done was obstruct his path after Caine had vanished.

_Save them._

They were still human. They weren't monsters. They were in pain, suffering from that curse. They clearly didn't want to hurt him. They didn't even want to be there. Didn't want that cruel fate that had been placed on them-

An inhuman growl. A man lunged, towards him, crazed bloodlust in his eyes.

"Shirou!"

A flash of silver and blue. Liliana stepped in front of him and swung her sword.

Blood splattered, and the man fell to the ground before Shirou.

Dead.

He couldn't save him.

_You could have saved him._

He clamped down on that thought and focused.

The others had charged, the man's blood serving as a trigger. Men and women who had been turned into bloodthirsty vampires. Men and women who had been turned into monsters. Men and women who Shirou _knew_ were still there, forced to watch as their bodies acted against their will, subverted by the malevolent curse in the air.

_You cannot save everyone._

"Dammit...!"

He knew that. He had accepted that. And yet actually seeing it in front of him-

_Choose._

He glanced back at the corpse of the man who had charged him. Despite the bloodlust in his eyes, the expression on his face wasn't that of a monster. Instead, in that man's final moments, it seemed that he had found relief. Though not a happy smile, at least it was a resigned one, relieved.

He decided.

Liliana was his first priority here. No matter how guilty he felt, or how it pained him to be unable to do anything right then, if he didn't focus, Liliana could die. Liliana, who had entrusted her fate to him. Who swore to fight by his side in this battle to the bitter end.

He wouldn't let that happen.

The ones attacking couldn't be saved by him. A sword, that was who he was. In this life, in this place, he didn't have the ability to shattered the accursed fate that had befallen those unfortunate souls. He didn't have a miracle that could restore their normal lives.

But at the least, he could end their suffering.

The crowd drew closer. The distance between them and Shirou rapidly closed.

Liliana stepped close to him, Il Maestro raised against the approaching crowd. "Shirou. What are your orders?"

_Trace on._

Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands. Like always, since he had arrived in this world, they were hollow and empty. Mere imitations of the blades that Archer had wielded a majority of his life. Projections of a projection, fakes of a pair of fakes.

"...Put them out of their misery, Liliana. We can't save them, but we can at least end their pain. Then, we go after the Heretic God that caused this."

"As your will, Shirou."

_You can't save them._

_I CAN._

_You can't save everyone._

_I WILL._

_It's impossible._

_I'LL PROVE YOU WRONG._

Shirou stepped forward, ignoring his growing headache and his contradictory feelings.

SAVE THEM.

* * *

_No, no, no!_

This couldn't be happening.

He had just realized it. He had just broken through, obtained the ability to use his final Authority. It could save them. It _would _save them!

Godou ran over to Erica and held her. "Erica."

No response. The only result from his actions were his hands being stained with blood, warm, slippery blood that was a bright, bright, all too bright crimson.

"Erica... Erica!"

Again, no response. She didn't stir. She didn't open her eyes and give him her bright smile, reassuring him that she believed in him.

No response. Not a word, not a breath-

Godou's eyes widened.

Breath. Breathing.

Erica wasn't breathing.

She wasn't breathing.

SHE WASN'T BREATHING!

"Kusanagi Godou."

A voice called out to him. Athena's.

"SHUT UP!"

The gods were responsible for this. The will of the gods... had they decreed Erica's death? No. _NO._ He wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't accept such a messed up reality!

The Youth could save her. He knew for a fact it could save her. If she woke up, he could save her.

He could use it now. He could feel it. Godou now had access to all his Authorities, and the Youth could _save her!_

But she had to wake up. Erica had to wake up.

"Hey." He smiled. "Come on, Erica. This isn't like you. Wake up."

She didn't respond. She didn't move. And now she wasn't alive-

_NO._

Godou cut that line of thought away before it could take root.

There was no way that had happened. There was no way that strong, sometimes irritating, but always reliable Erica had died.

There just wasn't. He wouldn't believe it.

"...Athena. This Kushina believes that your fated opponent has broken."

Someone's voice. Unfamiliar. _It doesn't matter._

Think. Think. Think.

He had to think. He was a Campione, dammit! They were people that killed gods themselves, that defeated the undefeatable! Something like this... there had to be a way to save her!

"Kusanagi Godou. The knight is no more."

Athena spoke again. There was a sense of finality in it, a solemn and undeniable tone that forced him to acknowledge it, even as he _refused_ to believe in them.

"You're wrong."

He shook his head and laughed.

It was a pathetic sound, even to his ears. "She's not dead. Erica couldn't die. Not like this. No, she's just... sleeping."

That was right. It made sense. Erica had said she wanted to rest. Right. That was why she didn't answer him. She was sleeping. Resting.

He lightly shook her. "Wake up, Erica. You can't fall asleep in a place like this."

"Godou."

A sense of elation. Did Erica wake up and say his name?

...No. Her eyes were still closed. Her mouth still set in a pained smile_ (why didn't he realize that until now?)_ and her chest still unmoving.

Instead of her familiar warm gaze, there was someone else. A young girl with silver hair and violet eyes had knelt down in front of him. "The priestess still lives, do you not recall? Her life will not last much longer without your aid. Is that what you wish?"

_The priestess?_

Godou couldn't think. Erica was in his arms, and there was just so much blood-

_Wet. Warm. Crimson, crimson, crimson just like her favorite color spilled all over him..._

-Ah. _Yuri._

Godou spun around.

Yuri was slumped against the wall. Her breathing was ragged, and she looked like she was just barely clinging onto consciousness.

Yuri needed him too.

...He couldn't save both. It was like that stupid god had said.

_Choose._

He had to choose.

...No. He wished he could choose. The choice had already been taken out of his hands, since Erica had ALREADY DIED.

"Ha. Haha. Hahaha..."

Ridiculous. It was all ridiculous.

A random heretic god showing up. A curse turning normal people into bloodthirsty monsters. Erica getting hurt. Yuri being placed on the verge of turning into a monster just like the rest of them.

"Godou... san...?" A weak voice. Yuri's. "What... what happened? Where's Erica?"

He decided.

It was all because of that god. That _damned_ god that _dared_ to try and take Erica away from him, to take Yuri away from him.

He lowered Erica to the ground, burning her image into his mind. Pale. She was so, so, so pale compared to how she usually was. So, so, so deathly still compared to her usual energy.

"Oho? It seems that an interesting development has occurred in your fated opponent, Athena."

He got to his feet.

His mind was clear. Completely, utterly, and absolutely clear.

He walked over to Yuri and leaned over her, staring directly into her eyes.

"W-wha... Godou-san... this-"

"Yuri. Hurry up and swear. Promise me that you'll never leave, that you'll stand by my side against the gods themselves."

"I-"

"SWEAR IT!"

Yuri flinched at his severe tone, but then nodded. "A-alright, Godou-san. I swear... I swear that I'll stand by your side. Always and always."

He gave her a curt nod. "This will be rough, Yuri, but bear with it."

"Godou-san, what are you- mmph?!"

He used the Youth, bestowing its protection onto Yuri, and then got to his feet.

Yuri blinked, appearing much healthier than she had been mere moments before. "This is... the Youth? Godou, you-" She gasped and cut off her words as she saw Erica. "N-no. Erica... she's... she's...!"

He walked over to Erica and picked her up, bridal style-

_Wedding. She had always joked about getting married, and how he would carry her off into the sunset like this..._

-before turning to face the unknown woman in their presence.

She was a young woman with long black hair and crimson eyes, dressed in an emerald kimono.

"Are you an enemy?" he asked.

She smiled. "...What would it matter, young king? There is another that causes your blood to burn at this moment, is there not?"

Athena intervened. "She is an ally, Kusanagi Godou. And Kushina, do not antagonize him."

"...Fine." He gave her a curt nod. "Protect Yuri."

The Youth had given Yuri a Campione's constitution, but she wasn't oriented for combat in the first place. Enhanced as she was, it was possible that her Spirit Vision might become more accurate, but she could still be easily killed.

Kushina tilted her head. "...And what would you do in the meantime, young king?"

A twisted smile.

He heard Yuri gasp when she saw him, but ignored it.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Erica was in his arms. Erica, the one who had always supported him, couldn't support him anymore. And the one responsible for it... there was only one thing he could do. One thing he would do.

"I'm going to kill a god."

He had tried to run.

He had ignored his duties.

He had slacked in his responsibilities.

...And now he had learned the consequence of that the hard way.

Kusanagi Godou was a Campione.

And Campione were meant to _kill gods._

* * *

Shirou continued to run across the rooftops, Liliana close by his side. The two of them had covered most of the city by now, yet they still hadn't found Caine.

_Where is he?_

Time was running out. At this rate, the entire city would become victims of the curse, leaving no survivors.

"To your left, Shirou!"

More of the turned. The curse had given them superhuman abilities, and there hadn't been a single minute they hadn't been pursued.

Shirou stomped his feet, gravel scattering, and veered off to the left to meet his attackers. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Liliana head the opposite direction, no doubt covering those who would attack his back.

His attackers were a group of three. A man, a woman, and... a young girl?

They lunged, and the girl reached him first.

He didn't hesitate. Kanshou swept across the space before him and cut her down.

He advanced, and the man and woman fell in the next exchange.

He came to a halt and turned around. Liliana had finished with her attackers as well.

She gave him a worried look. "Shirou... are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

He had already resolved himself to this course of action. _Still... this is weird._

There was a sense of... detachment when he fought. It was only when he used Kanshou and Bakuya too. His regular steel sword projections, or the copy of Berserker's stone axesword didn't give him the same impressions, the sense of... resignation in facing off against such horrible enemies-

_Meaningless massacres. Meaningless suffering. Meaningless happiness! I was forced to watch it all. Even when I refused to look, it surrounded me. That isn't what I wished for!_

-A fragment of a memory. Not his, but something that belonged in the swords he was holding (_these hands will never hold anything)_.

"Ah, so that's how it is..."

It seemed that continually projecting the copies of Kanshou and Bakuya, even though he couldn't recall their history, was increasing his affinity towards them, drawing out the few fragments that remained in his soul of their accumulated memories. The fact that his opponents were the kind Archer had faced over and over in his life likely contributed to that.

"Let's hurry. We can't waste anymore time."

Caine. They had to stop Caine to save everyone else.

Shirou wasn't sure if that would end the curse. The god himself had admitted that it wouldn't be stopped once it started, but he could have been lying.

"Of course, Shirou." Liliana nodded, and then frowned. "But... where should we go? At this rate..."

A sudden flash of golden light. A surge of something that Shirou didn't know and yet did know. Something familiar.

Shirou spun towards it. The source was coming from the top of Roppongi Hills.

"Liliana."

"Understood."

Shirou grabbed onto her and the two flew towards the light.


	9. Salvation of the Damned: III

A/N: I apologize for the delay, and for the fact that I will not be writing any more for an undetermined period of time. The explanation for this will be in my profile.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Salvation of the Damned III**

A rooftop overlooking the city, and with a clear line of sight to Roppongi Hills. There, leaning against the door leading to the roof, Athena waited along with the two that Kusanagi Godou held dear.

After resolving himself, Kusanagi Godou had entrusted Athena with watching over the priestess and the corpse of the knight.

The priestess had fallen asleep due to exhaustion, as even the constitution of a Campione was hard-pressed to combat the already present effects of Caine's curse, and had been lain to rest on top of bedding Athena conjured nearby.

The knight was nearby, leaning against the wall and covered with Godou's sweatshirt. The smile on her face betrayed the fact that her body breathed no more, a fact that no doubt had contributed to Kusanagi Godou's broken state of mind.

That thought brought Athena back to the present, and she was quiet as she contemplated the recent events.

Kusanagi Godou. He was the youngest Campione and one whose fate was bound to her own. That was what she had determined when they met.

She had believed that meant they were enemies. That their destiny was to clash, until one or the other had been slain. But now...

Now she wasn't so sure.

While Athena could not divine the future in its entirety, she was able to glean some semblance of it through her Authority as a goddess of wisdom and war. Before, she had seen a path leading Kusanagi Godou to greatness, one where he gathered many by his side and triumphed against a great foe with their aid. And of those by his side, the most prevalent had been the knight.

Despite all the fluctuations in the future, all the branching paths of fate, that sole element remained: the one who stood by Kusanagi Godou through all his trials was the blonde knight.

The same blonde knight who had perished moments before.

Fate had been broken. The path leading to the future was blurred.

What had once been clear now lay shrouded in darkness... and Athena did not know what that would mean for her fate, or for the one she was bound to.

The future where Kusanagi Godou rose to greatness no longer existed. The one where his greatest supporter lived was no more.

Some portions were still clear. A great foe lay in wait, and a battle approached. One that would shake the very heavens drew nearer with each passing day. But where victory had once been assured, promised, now it was nothing more than a fragment. A fleeting glimpse that could pass with any moment, and action that shifted the future ever so slightly...

"What has occurred to cause this? What calamity, god, or Authority could have changed Fate so...?"

Before she could find an answer to her question, a gust of wind blew across the rooftop, followed by a hint of divinity.

"Ah, Kushina," Athena began. "Have you returned from your..." Her words trailed off when she saw who had arrived.

An instant later, she tensed, prepared for battle. "...You are not Kushina."

A figure, cloaked in light. It glanced at Erica, and then at Athena, before raising a hand.

Athena reacted, lashing out with a scythe of darkness to gauge her opponent-

A blast of wind spiraled out from the figure, dispelling the darkness and obscuring Athena's sight.

It was just a fraction of a second. A brief moment where she could not see her opponent. But she was a goddess, and such a thing was a trifling matter for a divine being, let alone a goddess of war like herself.

Should have been a trifling matter.

That was her last thought before a pair of swords pierced both her chest and that of the knight near her.

* * *

The city had turned into an apocalyptic scene. Buildings were broken down, the once towering structures now nothing more than empty husks of their former selves. The road was torn asunder, and corpses lay all around, ordinary bystanders now victim to a sudden twist of cruel fate. And in addition to the dead were the undead, the unfortunate souls who did not have the liberty to pass peacefully from this world.

Godou noted all of it with a single glance, a calm serenity.

What did it matter that there was so much chaos around him, so much death and despair? All it did was distract him from what It was already clear he had to do.

Yes, clear. It was clear what he could do about it all, what he _must_ do-

_You should be more serious, Godou! You are a Campione, a God Slayer, and the Devil King that stands above all. If you do not take your duty-_

A flash of an admonition. A memory of _her_-

He crushed it. Shattered the pieces and placed them somewhere they couldn't bother him.

He had already known, after all.

Clear. His mind was clear, honed, focused to a level it had never been before. A state of mind that if_ he had only been more focused, more serious, he could have-_

Again, he crushed it. Those thoughts had no meaning.

Clear. He knew what he had to do, what his role was as a Campione.

_KILL._

Around him were enemies. Obstructions in his path.

-There was no need to say any words, no need to pray for his Divine Authorities.

Clear. With honed focus, clarity, they came to him unbidden. No, it was not that they were unbidden, but that he refused to allow them not to be used.

A trio of grotesque enemies approached him. Civilians, two salary men and a male teenager. Ordinary people caught up in the series of unfortunate events.

_KILL._

They approached, the curse forcing them onwards, causing aggression. As a Campione, it was only obvious Godou was their target.

-An annoyance.

Godou swatted them aside. There was no contempt, pity, or arrogance in his actions.

...Perhaps if it had been him merely hours before, he would have felt something, but at the moment his mind was calm, serene.

Something like that didn't even register.

More of the heretic god's minions approached him, but Godou ignored them. He focused instead on the cries echoing in the city, using the Goat to listen to the hearts of the people with priestly authority and wisdom.

Though it was something that Godou could only use by acting as a king towards the people, only use if there were people who would stand with him and be his strength, at that moment and at that time it didn't matter.

Prayers for mercy, men and women pleading for salvation, begging and offering anything in exchange for an end to this madness.

The gods would never answer him... but for Godou, it was enough.

Clear. His mind was clear, and he held the hearts of the people. Using that, it was only a matter of course to find his enemy-

No. Not enemy. That word implied that the heretic god has a chance of victory, a sliver of success.

Prey. That was what he sought, and that was what he found.

Clear. With a mental clarity, Godou noted that his surroundings had been destroyed.

While focusing on finding his prey, he had allowed his body to act on its own, allowing instinct to guide him.

The road was torn asunder from places where he kicked off with the Camel. Buildings had collapsed from where he sent the Boar to attack. Here and there, scorch marks showed where the Goat struck.

Not only that, but there was gore everywhere. The worthless annoyances in his way had been scattered to the winds, the only signs that they ever existed being the occasional red flecks dotting the ground.

Idly, Godou noted that he should have cared. Without a doubt, this was something that should have at least drawn pity from an ordinary person.

But his mind was clear. Calm.

With that calmness came serenity, and in that serenity he found the source of the city's disturbance. Pinpointing his prey through the psychic power of the Goat, Godou turned towards Roppongi Hills.

"There you are."

The tallest building there. That was where his prey was. Where the heretic god had hidden himself, foolishly believing himself to be safe.

The air scattered around Godou, a tempest emerging and surrounding him with furious winds; the Gale that would carry him towards his prey, towards his victory.

When the wind died down, Godou's surroundings had changed.

The scene was in stark contrast to the rest of the city.

A calm observation deck. Wooden paneling, and a modern art inspired railing that encircled a octagonal rooftop.

_She had wanted to come visit here after..._

A place that would have been perfect for a date, and a place that _she_ had wanted to visit with him.

It was perfectly unscathed, pristine and untouched.

And there _he _was, the one who had broken the peaceful times in the city, who had shattered that future date with _her_.

Caine was leaning against the railing, facing the city below him. His back was to Godou. He was staring out at the city as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"So the first to arrive is you, Kusanagi Godou. How surprising."

No words were needed_. _It was already clear what he had to do, and how to do it. The Bull, the Camel, the Raptor. Strength, power, speed.

Caine turned his head back, moving at a leisurely pace while doing so. "I had believed that-"

_THWACK_

A fist thrown with enough power to topple buildings struck Caine in the face... or it would have if not for the barrier protecting him. Instead of striking Caine, Godou's found himself standing in front of the heretic god, his fist a hair's breadth away from Caine.

The silver-haired god narrowed his eyes. "Foolish."

A soft light appeared around Caine before suddenly gaining in intensity and flaring outwards.

Standing right in front of it, Godou was bombarded with the full force of the light. It was blinding, but that wasn't all it was.

Pain. Godou felt an unbelievable amount of pain.

The force that Godou had put in that strike would have pulverized an average person. It was enough that even a divine beast would have been dealt a mortal blow.

Now, all of that force was reflected upon him sevenfold due to Caine's curse, the divine protection of retribution placed upon him by the Abrahamic God.

Godou felt his body break.

-Dead. He was dead. His first attack had been enough to kill him. The reflected blow was enough to kill him sevenfold.

Dead. There was no denying that reality. Having attacked with all of his might, Godou was killed having it rebounded sevenfold.

-But something like that wasn't enough to stop him.

...Clear. His mind was clear, his path unshakeable, the outcome of the battle _assured_ by his power.

Godou felt his body break beneath a blow seven times his own strength, felt it completely annihilated beneath the unstoppable force.

-Pain? Nothing could compare to the soul rending agony he felt, the hollow void in his chest caused by the very god he stood before.

-Death? He was a Campione, one who had returned from the boundaries of life and death to rise above humanity and the very gods.

-Annihilation? So what if his body was annihilated? He was a Campione, someone who overturned the common sense of the world, who defied the gods themselves and became enemies of the world. Lacking a body meant nothing at all.

It was assured. His victory was assured through his Authority, through his will, and through his determination.

_Get up and win._

Godou stood, restored through the power of the Ram. Pain coursed throughout his body, but he ignored it. The pain only served to increase his strength, amplifying the effects of the Camel.

He took a breath to steady himself, then focused his attention back on Caine. The distance between them had increased to ten meters. It appeared that the last attack had sent him soaring backwards.

Caine tilted his head. "Interesting. Even with the promise of Victory, that should have been fatal. 'His' power should be absolute... and yet you have defied it. Perhaps..." He shook his head. "No, it makes no difference. Though interesting, it is not enough." The god raised his arms out, as if asking for a benediction from above. "The night has fallen, the night will fall. Though I pray, though I plead, none but the mourning star shall heed my call."

-An Authority. A threat.

_Kill him._

Recognizing the words for what they were, Godou raised his arm to challenge it. "The boar will ravage you! The boar shall destroy you!"

Darkness gathered around Caine, shadows emerging from nowhere to answer his call.

_KILL him._

Before that could be finished, the boar emerged before Godou.

-Twisted in madness. That was the only way to describe the beast before Godou. While it was ordinarily vicious and brutal, the Divine Beast that had emerged was even more so. Flesh rippled with barely constrained power, as if about to burst.

"Arise, and be forsaken."

Caine spoke those words and the darkness coalesced around his form.

_KILL HIM._

"I shall become one who buries fangs into the sinner's flesh, that the will of the Lord be followed: Thou shalt be purged!_"_

A roar. Answering its master's call, the boar surged forth to attack Caine.

The floor chipped and broke, concrete scattering with its advance. The small roof was barely enough to contain the Boar's form, and he reached Caine in an instant, attacking with force powerful enough to destroy the entire building they were on-

And it was stopped.

Caine had his arm extended, mirroring Godou's pose. He had grabbed the Boar's tusk, sending its charge to a sudden halt. Not only that, but he had somehow nullified all of attack's force, the path of destruction ending just before him.

"...It is regrettable, Kusanagi Godou. Like the other, you would have been a worthy ally. But..."

Caine clenched his hand into a fist. With the action, the Boar shattered, dispersed with a sudden onslaught of shadowy blades.

"It is not meant to be."

Godou lowered his arm.

_KILL HIM! _

Enhancing his body hadn't worked. The Boar had fallen. He doubted the Stallion would work.

It was possible that the Goat might be able to deal enough damage to wound Caine, but that wasn't enough.

_KILL HIM, KILLHIM, KILLHIM!_

Clear. It was clear to Godou what to do.

That barrier was in his way. A barrier gifted upon his prey by a God that would proclaim himself omnipotent. A God whose Authority was unchallenged.

A God who had decreed *****'s death.

_KILLHIMKILLHIMKILLHIM-_

"...Break it."

Had Godou been in a different state of mind, he would have noticed that Caine had changed. Where he had once been clothed in a white robe and possessed silver hair, the god was now wrapped in a literal cloak of darkness. In addition, his hair had changed to black, a color matching the shadows surrounding him. Not only that, but once rainbow colored eyes had become a bloody red. All in all, Caine looked more like the forefather of Vampires he was said to be than anything else.

Caine lowered his body, settling into a feral stance, one where his arms were held behind him and to the side. His hands twitched, changing from normal human appearance to that of a beast, with wicked and sharp claws to match. "You cannot defeat me, Kusanagi Godou. Fate... no, He has declared it thus. I cannot fall to any blade but His, and none may harm me save Himself. Begone, and mourn. Begone, and perhaps you may yet find a way to save that knight. But should you continue this foolish path-"

_Fate?_

That sole word drew all of Godou's attention, and he ignored the rest.

Fate. That was what Caine had said.

Fate. That was what the God of this world declared to control.

Fate. That was what caused this reality, what had shattered that peaceful life of his.

For the first time since he had left _her_, the clarity on his mind was broken.

"SHUT UP!"

Godou threw his hand to the side, clawing apart the air. He clenched his hand, channeling all his strength towards it.

-So far, none of his attacks had worked. So far, nothing had done so much as faze his prey.

That was unacceptable. For him, nothing less than absolute eradication was acceptable.

_In that case..._

All he had to do was use everything at his disposal.

"Fate, the gods... even God himself! If that's the reality in front of me, I'll break that messed up reality with my hands and kill all those in my way!"

-That's right. Kill him. Using everything at his disposal, channeling all his strength into an attack that could end even God, that would promise him victory...

_I am the strongest bearer of victory, whose name is known to all..._

Wind gathered around him, a fierce gale emerging out of nowhere.

_I am the strongest, who holds all victory in my hands, the one smashing through all enemies in my way..._

Strength flooded his body, enough to match any opponent.

_I am the strongest, possessing the light of the sun and the toughness of ten mountains, the strength of a hundred rivers..._

Light gathered in his hand, and his body hardened, becoming durable enough to withstand its might.

_I am the strongest, the foe of all gods. The hero whose wings bring retribution to those evil, the one who triumphs over death and mandates victory..._

Lightning joined the gale and light around Godou before surging into his hand.

_I am the strongest, whose will brings justice to this world... _

A blade, more lustrous than brilliant, more sacred than beautiful. It crystallized in his hand and shone with golden light.

Seeing that, Caine's eyes widened. "Impossible. To channel that much divinity... no. It matters not. You cannot defeat Him, Kusanagi Godou, and this attempt-"

_And with that, I am promised victory._

"I said... SHUT UP!"

Godou swung the sword, and the light of Glory crashed against that of Dominion.

There was only one result.

"Wha-"

"DIE!"

Golden light filled the rooftop, and Godou's world faded to black.

* * *

The moment that he had noticed the light, Shirou had reinforced his eyes and looked to its source. When he did, he noticed that it came from Mori Tower, the tallest building in Roppongi Hills. There was no way to miss it.

Liliana and Shirou dashed towards it, Liliana using her flight magic to close the distance while Shirou launched himself through the air with his reinforced body, jumping from rooftop to rooftop along the way.

During his path, he focused on the light and saw that the cause of the light was Godou. Shirou had managed to turn just in time to see the younger Campione create-

_A sword promising victory..._

-a golden sword of light and send a wave of energy at Caine.

It was an attack that Shirou had never seen, a blade that he didn't recognize, but one that was familiar. That familiarity pulled at him, but he ignored it in favor of observing the situation.

The attack was powerful, and had the attack been launched anywhere but Mori Tower, it would have obliterated the city. As it was, the attack crashed against an invisible barrier around Caine and flooded the sky, tinting it gold.

Liliana let out a gasp when they drew closer, enough to sense the power of the attack. "That... what is happening there?"

"Godou's fighting Caine."

"What? Kusanagi is fighting...? Wait, then is the source of that attack...?"

Shirou nodded, his gaze never wavering from the tower.

"But that can't be! Even for a Campione, to channel that much divine power is-"

"Impossible?"

Shirou shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "Nothing is impossible for those willing to go against the world. But still..."

His smile vanished when the light from Godou's sword faded.

The sword had clashed with the barrier and managed to break through. Caine had been wounded from the blow, and his arm had been cut off. Yet, despite the fact that the attack pierced the barrier, it wasn't enough to shatter it completely.

An ominous light gathered around Caine, with his blood evaporating around him in tandem to the light's increasing brightness.

_SAVE HIM!_

An imperative that he couldn't ignore. Whatever phenomenon was occurring would be lethal for Godou if it finished.

Shirou increased his speed, pushing the limits of his body with reinforcement that was close to lethal.

"Milord-!"

He ignored Liliana, his vision narrowed to the strange event occurring around Caine.

_Trace on._

Judging the concept of creation and hypothesizing the basic structure. He examined the barrier and gauged the situation as he moved.

Godou collapsed like a puppet with cut strings, his sword dissolving into motes of light.

The distance between them closed, but Shirou was still more than a building away.

The barrier was a divine mystery, a protection gifted by the 'Creator', an absolute guard ensuring a seven-fold retribution to those attacking its ward. Godou's attack had managed to pierce the protection due to his sword's ability 'to cut the divine', but it hadn't completely destroyed it.

The barrier was unstable, and now gathering energy to exact vengeance on Godou. But because it had been severed, the force couldn't be directed, and was instead going to explode outward.

Godou would die. The barrier drew strength from the nature and power of the attack that it guarded against. Godou's had been one that severed divinity, and one with power enough to destroy the entire city.

Time crawled to a halt.

The ominous light coalesced into a blood red sword that hung above Godou. An executioner's blade that would eradicate both him and the entire building.

Godou was unconscious.

There were innocent civilians still in the building beneath them.

Caine was injured.

_SAVE-_

Again, the imperative. Something that was forcing Shirou to act, making him abide to a course of action.

He noticed it this time and suppressed it.

Instinct or impulse, it wouldn't be enough.

The attack would shatter divinity, carry enough force to destroy the building.

Shirou didn't have anything to stop it.

Tracing was out of the question. He had no blades that could reflect the attack. No sword skills that could shatter it.

His 'Authorities' weren't defensive oriented, and they would do nothing against the attack.

All he could do was reinforce himself, use sword skills, and project nameless swords-

_Hold on._

Could that work? The attack was powerful, but its underlying nature was to shatter divinity. To cut the Authorities that prevailed in this world. Against a mundane construct, albeit one that was reinforced to the same level as the divine... would that be enough?

The blood red sword started to fall, time slowly resuming at a snail's pace.

With nothing left to do, Shirou took a gamble.

Mana cost didn't come into the equation. As a 'Campione', his already high capacity had increased to insane levels. Projection and reinforcement would succeed as a matter of course.

He arrived on the roof a fraction of a second after the sword started to fall.

"Trace, on!"

A body of steel. While the body he now owned didn't have that nature, he remembered the feeling, the basic structure. Extrapolating it, he created a shield to guard against the attack.

An array of steel swords, laced into a barrier to guard against the attack. Each was reinforced to the utmost level, enough to have stood against any Noble Phantasm.

But the attack was no Noble Phantasm, and this world was not the one he was familiar with. The fact was that Shirou had no way of knowing whether or not it would work-

Any thoughts were cut off as time resumed its normal pace and the blood red sword fell.

"Shir-!"

Liliana's voice called to him, but it was lost in the sound of a rocketing explosion.

An intense wave of heat and blinding light. From Shirou's viewpoint, it seemed as if the world itself was being ground away, the air distorting like a mirage in the summer haze.

It lasted for just a single instant. Caine's attack fell, acting like God's divine smite, and Shirou's swords stood against it.

They shattered beneath the attack, but just before it struck, the air shimmered, and then everything returned to normal.

Shirou straightened and stared at Caine.

The God stared back. "You have arrived, Emiya Shirou."

A pair of footsteps landed behind Shirou. Liliana arrived and gave a wary glance between him and Caine. "Shirou... what do you plan on doing?"

"Liliana. Take care of Godou."

Shirou stepped forward, hands held to the side, already holding the hilts of imaginary swords. "I'll take care of him."

Caine tilted his head. "You'll 'take care of me', will you? Ha. Haha. Hahaha... feel free to try."

He waved his arm, and the shadows gathered once more around him. Within moments, the rooftop filled with vampires.

"You will not be able to defeat me, Emiya Shirou. And even if you do... you cannot save them."

Shirou didn't reply. Words were meaningless at this point.

Godou was behind him. His mind had been foggy since it all began, but now it was clear.

Even if he felt pity towards the one before him, and even if he felt regret for being unable to save those cursed, he couldn't falter.

The enemy was before him.

There were those he wanted to protect behind him.

That was enough.

_Trace, on._

Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands.

Again, they were hollow. Empty projections with only a shred of the original accumulated history and experience-

_those hands will never hold anything..._

-but that was fine.

After all, that was what he had become.

The vampires attacked when his projection completed. As one, they surged forward, trying to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. Against any ordinary human, and perhaps against any other Campione, they would have won. Each were enhanced to the level of a weak Servant, due to Caine's curse granting them inhuman strength.

_One, two, three... half a dozen. _

Shirou noted the number of enemies in a single glance and advanced.

It was pointless to try and cut each of them down. That would waste time that could be used to save others.

_Freeze out. Mirrored blades reaching the imperial vista..._

Yin and Yang. Without losing any momentum, Shirou advanced past the Vampires, all cut down by copies of Kanshou and Bakuya appearing in front of him.


	10. Salvation of the Damned: Finale

A/N: Merry Christmas!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Salvation of the Damned - Finale**

* * *

Black and white cut through the air, followed by eruptions of dark smoke wherever they passed.

Shirou stepped forward, hands reaching for a pair of swords that didn't exist.

In the corner of his eyes, Shirou saw bodies fall to the ground. The corpses of the people that Caine had bound and summoned as vampires.

-_SAVE THEM._ Budding regret was clamped down beneath a mind of steel.

Shirou stepped forward. A single thought sent the copies of Kanshou and Bakuya that had cut down the vampires of Caine converging on the Heretic God himself.

Despite the dozen blades converging on him, Caine showed no fear. He made no move to dodge the blades, or even to knock the blades away.

Had it been any other individual, they would have done either of those without a doubt. Diminished as Shirou's projections were, they were still Noble Phantasms, and weapons of such caliber could wound even the divine.

A sense of doubt. Caine had something planned.

Shirou didn't let up on his advance, but remained cautious while he did, observing the Heretic God to see what he would do next.

A moment before Shirou's projections converged upon the god, Caine smirked and snapped the finger on his remaining hand.

The reason for that became immediately apparent.

The black smoke that had been filling the rooftop, the same smoke that had emerged from the fallen vampires, coalesced in an instant around Caine. And with that event returned the vampires Shirou had cut down, now acting as human shields.

Again, the rooftop was filled with smoke as copies of Kanshou and Bakuya cut down the vampires. Unlike the last time, however, the rooftop was also filled with the sight of shattering blades that turned into motes of light.

Caine grinned, and with another gesture from his hands the vampires returned, looking unscathed.

A surge of anger passed through Shirou at that, but it was quickly tempered.

_Focus._

If he wanted to save anyone, he couldn't afford to be blinded by rage.

...He had already learned from that mistake the hard way.

Instead of acting out on that anger, Shirou once again projected copies of Kanshou and Bakuya to attack, throwing the pair in his hands at Caine.

Once again, the air was filled with smoke and light as his projections shattered against Caine's thralls.

_That's fine._ His projections were meant to be disposable, and he hadn't expected the same attack to work. But now he had a course of action.

Shirou stepped forward again.

_Judge the concept of creation and hypothesize its basic structure._

Caine wasn't relying on that barrier of his to stop Shirou's projections. Instead, he was letting them be intercepted by his thralls.

While it could be due to Caine's ego, it was more likely that they could hurt the god.

But before he could test that theory, Shirou had to do something about those vampires under Caine's control. As it was, they would only continue to reform and impede his way. Though the distance between Caine and himself had closed to a gap Shirou could cross in an instant, it would be pointless if Caine could block him with those vampires.

The question then was how to get rid of_ (SAVE)_ those vampires under Caine's control.

The black smoke coalesced yet again, but this time there were a dozen of those vampires behind Caine, the number having doubled since the last time.

-He had to cut them down and stop them from coming back. Even if he managed to avoid them all and attack Caine directly, that was too risky while Liliana and Godou were still behind Shirou.

Not only that, but it would only take an instant the situation to change. Shirou had kept Caine occupied so far, but that was only because he had been projecting at full speed the moment the vampires reformed.

To him, it seemed like time was a normal pace, but that was only because he had reinforced himself to keep up with the god and his superhuman familiars. To Liliana and everyone else, only a few seconds had passed.

An instant. That would be all it took for Caine to attack Liliana and Godou. So before then, he had to cut down those vampires. He had to stop them permanently, kill-

_SAVE THEM._

Again, that imperative echoing in his mind, overriding his thoughts.

_Impossible._ He couldn't save those vampires with what he had. If it was the him before arriving in this world, if it was any other version of him, like the ones Rin had described existed in those other timelines of the grail war, it could have been possible.

Rule breaker. That would have been the perfect solution to this situation. He had seen the blade, knew what it could do, and seen it used. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough knowledge of it, enough _accumulated experience_ of the blade for him to recreate it. The most he could recall was its general shape and properties, and that was far from enough to accurately describe it, let alone project it.

Kanshou and Bakuya. Berserker's sword. The steel swords that he used as a general template. Those were the only projections he had available to him, and only Kanshou and Bakuya carried the properties of a Noble Phantasm.

But that apparently wasn't enough. Though they were blades meant to cut down monsters, it appeared that their power didn't surpass the curse that Caine had inflicted.

Shirou analyzed what other options he had.

His Authorities... Void Avesta and Incarnation of Evil. While powerful, they couldn't help him in this situation.

Void Avesta only offered him a mild presence concealment. A utility sort of ability rather than offensive.

As for Incarnation of Evil... it could work, but it was too risky to activate. If he was wrong on any of the conditions, if he was mistaken on even a _single_ one, then he would be weakened. His abilities, his magic, every advantage that allowed him to keep up in this battle would be forfeited. Temporary it might be, but he doubted Caine would simply wait until midnight for their fight to reconvene.

No, he had to make due with what he had. If that meant that he could only cut the vampires down and that he couldn't save them-

_SAVE THEM!_

-then that was what would happen.

Shirou tensed, ready to close the gap and attack Caine. At the same time, the air around Shirou filled with light as he began forming dozens of Kanshou and Bakuya to cut down the vampires while he attacked Caine-

_YOU WILL SAVE THEM!_

-And then against his will, something changed.

A miracle. That was the only way that the vampires would be saved. The only thing that could allow the salvation of those that had been damned by Caine's curse.

A miracle was something that Shirou didn't have, couldn't make occur. Perhaps in the past, it would have been possible. If he had the full breadth of abilities he did in the past, he could have performed a miracle, crafted a weapon that would free those under Caine's control.

But that was then and this was now. Shirou didn't have that capability, not anymore, and even if he did, it would have taken time to prepare.

So it was impossible. Those vampires could not have been saved, and the only option left for Shirou was to cut them down as fast as possible while attacking Caine to test for weaknesses in the Heretic God's barrier.

He knew it, he had made peace with it, and he was already acting upon it to execute it.

Despite that, he found himself acting against his will, something inside him stirring contrary to his actions.

-Time ground to a halt and gears that didn't exist in this world spurred into motion.

_Judging the concept of creation._

To save them, he would need a sword that could sever the curse and restore their bodies.

_Hypothesizing the basic structure._

It had to be a divine sword. That was the only thing that could oppose the inherent malevolence of the curse.

_Duplicating the composition material._

A miracle. That was the only thing that could save them. It was a miracle that Emiya Shirou didn't possess... and yet it was a miracle that 'Emiya Shirou' provided.

_Imitating the skill of its making._

A divine instrument. The ability to craft such a thing was engraved upon his soul.

_Sympathizing with the experience of its growth._

Salvation. It was a concept that all those in despair yearned for, but a divine sword embodying it had never existed. Even so, _something_ resonated, allowing for the process to continue.

_Reproducing the accumulated years._

-An error. Shirou couldn't reproduce the accumulated years, as it was something he had never experienced or possessed knowledge of. Even so, the process continued.

_Excelling every manufacturing process._

The gears that didn't exist spurred into action. The sword that didn't exist began to form.

-But it was an illusion. This Emiya Shirou possessed no such sword, and he had never encountered something even close to resembling it.

So it crumbled. The form of the divine sword being created, the image of a holy sword granting salvation dissolved into the illusion it truly was.

_...Now bind the illusion into a blade._

-But it seemed that even the glimpse of that fleeting illusion could grant salvation.

Time resumed.

_Power_ surged through Shirou's veins, carrying with them Divinity _(SALVATION)_ and spilling over into his projections.

"That aura! Can it be...?"

Shirou heard Caine speak, but he ignored it.

-A miracle. He needed that to save the ones Caine had cursed. It was something he didn't have, something he knew that should not have been granted, yet somehow was.

That was all he needed to know.

The rooftop filled with white light, tinged blue, as the empty imitations of Kanshou and Bakuya were turned into swords of Salvation.

* * *

Excalibur.

In the world Shirou came from, it was a last phantasm created from the World and given to the King of Briton to replace the sword of the stone. It was a sword that embodied a desire trained by the human heart, the wish and dream of all who stepped upon the fields of war.

Glory.

In this world, that blade did not exist. Or rather, it did not exist in the same form.

While there was a sword named Excalibur, and while there was a matching king that wielded it, the sword did not carry the concept of 'Glory' at its core. Rather than Glory, it was a sword of Salvation, the divine blade the belonged to the King of the End.

It was a blade embodying his Authority, the sole dominion of the King fated to arrive upon the world's end, when the Strongest Steel descended upon the world to defeat the Devil Kings.

Though it was a blade that could be granted to other by its owner, though it was a sword that could lend its strength to those that the King deemed worthy, the fact was that it was something that only existed when the Strongest Steel himself had awakened.

And he had not.

Thus it came to be that Excalibur had yet to reemerge in the mortal world, still resting in the divine realm along with its owner.

And it would remain that way until the time was right, until the King of the End reemerged to combat the latest of the Devil Kings.

At least, that should be the case.

Excalibur was the symbol of the King of the End. It was the Authority that slayed all evil, that restored order to the world after the chaos wrought by Campione. Something that does not exist in this present time, and would not exist as He had not yet sent the King into play.

Caine knew this, so when he saw Shirou summon its power, he took a step back.

Though the form was different, though the origin was different, though the one before him was the furthest that could exist from His divine sword, there was no mistaking the presence that Shirou now carried.

Nor could he mistake that familiar ethereal light now emanating from his opponent's swords.

-It changed everything. Should that power be awakened, should 'Emiya Shirou' realize the power he held, the role he had subconsciously taken over, then even He would be forced to move. Even that ambivalent god who had allowed chaos and mankind to roam for these past thousands of years would descend upon the world.

...For how could He not, when the Strongest Steel now rested within the mortal enemy of the gods?

The King would move, He would follow, and humanity would once more be ushered into a time of darkness.

And should that happen, like Cain, more would fall prey to his 'Glory', victimized by their devotion while He laughed.

Caine narrowed his eyes and, for the first time since he obtained the role, embraced his part 'The Dark Father'.

* * *

Static filled his ears as his projection completed.

Shirou felt like staggering, but refused to do so. The enemy was i front of him, and if he wanted to save the ones behind him, he couldn't afford to falter.

His projected copies of Kanshou and Bakuya shot across the rooftop, once again cutting down those that Caine called to his side. However, this time was different. Where before, the vampires turned into black smoke after being struck, this time they were enveloped in a bluish-white light and fell to the ground in a heap.

Seeing that caused Shirou's eyes to widen a bit.

-_That's... different._

They were normal. All signs of monstrosity, the pale skin, the bloodied eyes... they were gone from every person that Shirou cut down.

Something had changed in his blades. Something that had occurred outside of his comprehension, something that allowed for the impossibility he was seeing-

"Interesting. To break them free of my Embrace... truly, the Campione are existences able to defy Fate itself."

_Think about that later!_

Shirou focused his attention back on the god before him.

Caine had straightened, no longer adopting the feral stance he had taken at the start of the fight. If anything, he looked like a noble, staring at Shirou with calm eyes.

"However, that is not enough. Emiya Shirou... you are still weak. Despite your power, despite your magic that can wound the divine... you are weak."

-Danger.

On instinct, Shirou jumped to his left.

The moment he did, the ground he was standing in erupted in spikes of crimson energy-

_No. Not energy..._

Shirou narrowed his eyes. Blood. That was what Caine was using. That attack was one of his own blood, empowered by magic to create a catalyst for the attack.

Caine stepped forward, all signs of arrogance gone from his face. The cruel smirk was gone, and his face was now the visage of an apathetic god.

Around him, the air dimmed, shadows seemingly emerging from nowhere, and was tinged with red.

"Fight me, Devil King. Fight me, kill me, and grow stronger. As you are, you cannot hope to save those behind you, let alone fulfill that boast of granting salvation to everyone you had-"

While Caine was saying his monologue, Shirou dashed forward to attack. Bakuya cut through the air, followed by Kanshou.

They were blocked by a crimson spikes appearing in mid-air.

"Hoh-? Did I strike a nerve?"

Shirou didn't respond. _If you have time to talk, use it to beat the one in front of you._ Instead of replying, he leapt back to reassess the situation.

Caine still wasn't relying on his barrier to block Shirou's attacks, but was obstructing them through other means. That meant that Shirou's hypothesis likely held true: the barrier that countered attacks would not stop his projections.

In addition, Shirou had stopped the vampires from reforming. While they could still be turned back into Caine's thralls, that would only serve as an opening for Shirou to attack.

It seemed that Caine had realized that, as he changed tactics to use that blood thaumaturgy... or whatever it was.

The details weren't important, only that the nature seemed similar to projection, only that the base was Caine's blood.

"Very well. If you aren't going to respond, I'll force you."

And then Shirou was forced on the defense as Caine surged forward, a crimson long sword in his hands.

A step back to avoid the attack. Slash with Bakuya in his right to parry. Counter with Kanshou in his left.

_Static._

Shirou ducked out of the way as Caine parried his counter and attacked with one of his own.

The Heretic God's crimson sword cut down in a vertical slash, aimed to carve Shirou in half.

Shirou swung Bakuya to meet it, the white curved sword cutting through the air towards the god's sword.

_Crack._

The projection shattered, too fragile to stand against the weapon made from Caine's own blood.

Shirou projected another copy to replace it-

_This **** is made ** ****_

-and had to dive out of the way of Caine's slash as his head was filled with static.

Shirou blinked. _What was that-? No. Focus. _

It was confusing, but he couldn't afford to waste any time thinking about it.

He swung his swords, up, down, left, right. A combo executed at a blinding speed, leaving behind only black and white blurs.

A clang of steel echoed four times in response as Caine easily parried each one, then stepped forward again with another heavy vertical slash.

Shirou blocked, but like the last time the blades clashed, his projections shattered beneath Caine's own sword.

Shirou leapt back, clearing the distance between him and the Heretic God.

...This wasn't going well. As things were, Shirou wouldn't be able to beat him.

Time. Shirou needed time to figure out a counter, to devise a method to defeat Caine. Yet, time was something he didn't have.

Shirou looked around the rooftop. The vampires that he had saved were stirring. Not only that, but it seemed that Liliana had yet to leave. Whether out of duty or shock, the fact remained that he couldn't afford to let up on Caine, or else the Heretic God would remember that he had plenty of other targets at hand.

As it was, it seemed the Heretic God had a strange obsession with Shirou, drawing all of the god's attention, but Shirou wouldn't count on that lasting for much longer.

_Change of plans._

Parrying wouldn't help any more. Since his blades were of lower durability than Caine's, it would only give the god more opportunities to attack him if Shirou kept up with his current tactics.

While it had allowed him to avoid getting wounded, it didn't open a way to victory.

_Hypothesizing the basic structure..._

"No, this isn't all you have... Show me, Emiya Shirou! Show me once more that power that defies reality itself!"

Caine growled and swung his sword, a wave of red energy carving through the air in its wake.

_Reinforcing composite materials..._

Shirou stepped forward and met the wave of energy with Kanshou and Bakuya.

"Hah!"

For a split second, the married swords fractured, gaining the appearance of metallic quills, and then they _broke_.

"What-?"

Shirou heard Caine exclaim in surprise, but he ignored it and sprinted forward, another copy of Kanshou and Bakuya already in his hands.

Caine's eyes widened and he swung his sword up to stop Shirou.

-Slow. The slight moment of hesitation caused by Shirou's action caused Caine to react too late.

Black and white surged to cut the Heretic God-

_I am... my sword..._

_Steel... fire my blood..._

_created... weapons..._

_so... un******* ***** *****_

-A distortion.

Caine's protection was a curse granted upon him by the Abrahamic God, one that was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. It was an absolute protection and an absolute retribution. No matter who or what attacked him, the attack would be returned seven-fold.

-That should be the case. Anything from that world, anything from that plane of existence that should harm Caine would be struck by a force seven times that.

Yet, that required there be a target to inflict the force upon.

It was a protection that responded against an attacker... so what happened when Caine was struck by someone that does not exist?

'Emiya Shirou' attacked Caine with Kanshou and Bakuya.

The protection bestowed upon Caine reacted to attack 'Emiya Shirou'.

-Yet, in that moment, 'Emiya Shirou' did not exist, shrouded from view through Void Avesta, standing as part of and outside of All Creation.

A contradiction. Left with no target, the protection faltered and defaulted striking both the attacker and the one being attacked.

Shirou was thrown backwards, and his body was lacerated by fourteen slashes across his torso.

Likewise, Caine was sent flying back, matching attacks on his body as well.

"Shirou!"

Liliana ran towards Shirou, concern on her face.

He landed with a _thump_, his body cracking the ground and sending bits of it flying in all directions. At the same time, his vision blacked out.

_Static._

Pain. The sensation of a thousand blades cutting across his skin. The feeling of his body burning from the inside. The sensation that _his body was made of blades_, and of blood pooling from beneath him.

_Get up._

"Shirou! Milord! You have to get up!"

He'd had worse. This pain was nothing compared to what he had felt in the past, so it should be a piece of cake to get up and continue the fight.

_Static._

"Ah, what should I do? If I... but then the only way that Campione can be healed..."

Liliana was debating something. Worry and anxiety were clear in her voice.

_SAVE HER._

-That's right. If he was lying around, he couldn't save her.

If he kept lying there, she would be killed.

_GET UP!_

His eyes snapped open just in time to see Liliana leaning over him.

"Eep!" The knight jumped back, her face flushed red. "M-Milord, I can explain... Y-you see, I was-"

A feral growl stopped her in mid-sentence.

Shirou pushed himself back on his feet, ignoring the fact that his body was riddled with wounds and blood was dripping to the ground.

When he did, he saw that Caine had done the same.

The Heretic God's eyes were murderous, narrowed almost to the extent of being closed. "You...!" Caine growled. "That was not supposed to happen! That _could not _happen! Even the Strongest Steel could not bypass His barrier to leave lasting wounds. You...! WHO ARE YOU!?"

The last few words were spoken in a roar.

Shirou ignored the enraged god, deigning instead to look around.

Sometime in the last few exchanges between him and the god, the people that Shirou had saved woke up. At the moment, they were playing dead, and Caine had yet to notice, but with the volatile state the god was in...

"Liliana." Shirou muttered. "I'm going to lead him away. Protect these people as best as you can."

He didn't wait to hear her response. The moment he was finished, Shirou projected a pair of steel swords and shot them at Caine.

As expected, Caine moved to stop the attack, shattered the blades with crimson spikes. "ANSWER ME!"

But Shirou was already gone, leaping off the roof to an adjacent building.

Letting out a feral roar, Caine leapt after him, leaving Liliana on the roof with an unconscious Godou and a group of ex-vampires.

* * *

Across the rooftops in Roppongi Hills, a remarkable sight could be seen.

A man with silver hair and tanned skin jumped from building to building. His leather coat billowed in the wind, along with his red scarf. In his wake, dozens of steel swords shot out, appearing as gray streaks in the air.

Mere moments after the swords moved, they were shattered by the man's pursuer, crimson spikes surrounding and crushing each of the swords.

The pursuer was another man, seemingly cloaked in shadows. Long hair as black as the night and blood red eyes... anyone looking upon that man could easily say that he was 'evil'.

In contrast, the first man could be called 'good' from his attire, looking the part of a superhero running through the night.

...Except that it wasn't night, there were none to watch the two, and the first man had long ago given up on being a superhero.

Shirou projected yet another volley of steel swords to attack Caine and leapt towards another building.

Like before, Caine simply shattered them with his powers and continued his pursuit.

_Just as planned._

Shirou had led Caine far from Liliana and the others, all while harrying him with projections to make sure he stayed provoked.

He had also used the time to devise a strategy, a way to defeat Caine.

Seeing an abandoned intersection, Shirou took to the ground and then waited for Caine to arrive.

It didn't take long before the god arrived, his presence announced by the sight of shadows scattering in every direction.

"You...! To drive me this far... to force me to delve so deeply into my Disciplines... to have wounded me so grievously despite His protection...! EMIYA SHIROU! WHO ARE YOU?!"

...It was odd. The way that Caine was acting didn't fit the image Shirou had built up of the god. Then again, he _did_ irritate the Heretic God by having him chase Shirou around the city, so that probably played a large part in it.

Caine roared and snapped out his arm. A ball of crimson energy shot out with the motion, rocketing towards Shirou.

Shirou snapped out his own arm in response, and the attack was torn in half, creating two explosions behind him while leaving Shirou untouched.

The cause of that would be the sword in Shirou's hands.

It had an emerald blade, golden hilt wrapped in forest green, and a pommel with what appeared to be a pearl.

-Durandal, the peerless sword, and the only true sword Shirou possessed in this world.

Shirou shifted his stance, raising the sword in a challenge against Caine.

The god must have realized what it was, since he stilled, eyes fixed upon the blade.

-Shirou had forgotten. Whether it was a side-effect from using Kanshou and Bakuya for so long, or because it had been a while since he earnestly fought, the fact was that he had forgotten his original style of combat.

Projection, attacking from a distance... those were both good and embodied the way 'Emiya Shirou' was meant to fight.

But Shirou was different. Projection was still a viable tactic, along with using it to attack from a distance, but unlike his other 'selves', he had taken a slightly different route as a 'Sword'.

Whereas they became 'makers', creating a world of infinite swords...

He became a wielder, becoming one with his blade and embodying the Sword Saint that had mastered innumerable techniques.

And it was with that in mind that Shirou attacked. Shirou lunged in an attack executed at godspeed, surpassing the speed of every previous attack he had made before then. As a result, Caine couldn't react.

He didn't need to.

Durandal halted mere fractions from Caine's chest, the blade stopped by an invisible force.

"Fool! What made you think that a sword blessed by His angels would allow you to-"

Caine stopped talking, his eyes wide.

Shirou had attacked Caine with Durandal, yet there had been no retribution. The blade had stopped, yes, but there was no reaction from the barrier, no seven-fold vengeance.

"How-?"

Caine's eyes grew wider when he saw it.

-A crack. It was small, but it was present. A crack formed in the barrier that should not, could not, would not break.

* * *

-Structural grasp. A technique that allowed one to analyze objects, commonly used in Thaumaturgy prior to the application of Reinforcement.

At least, that was how Shirou originally used it.

Here and now, he applied the first ability he gained to analyze Caine's barrier.

The lunge had been a feint, a way to get into physical contact with the barrier so that he could analyze it.

-Normally, it would have been impossible. Analysis of Divine Mysteries was impossible for humans, due to the fact that humanity could not comprehend the nature of the Divine, which lay beyond their grasp.

But Shirou was far from normal, and even further removed now due to his nature as a Campione. Divine Mysteries were now not only within his grasp, but an inherent nature of his existence.

It was due to that Shirou managed to deconstruct the nature of the barrier surrounding Caine and find a way to circumvent it.

The first clue had been provided by Godou. With that golden blade, the other Campione had managed to pierce the barrier and wound Caine, despite the fact that it shouldn't have worked.

The second clue had been when Shirou attacked with Kanshou and Bakuya. There, instead of being completely repelled, the attack had harmed them both, leaving lasting wounds on Caine despite the fact that Shirou was the one who attacked.

With those two clues, he realized it.

When Godou had attacked Caine, he had embodied the concept of 'Victory', channeling all his power to attack Caine. But the attack had been incomplete, and as a result only pierced the barrier rather than destroy it outright.

When Shirou had attacked Caine, the barrier didn't have a clear target as Shirou was 'Expelled from Creation' due to Void Avesta. However, as Kanshou and Bakuya were symbols of 'Emiya Shirou' and made from his own power, the barrier still managed to inflict its retribution on him as he was their 'maker' and so the swords were 'him'.

In both cases, a person had attacked Caine, and that person was attacked in response.

...But what if Caine was attacked not by a person, but a concept?

Shirou stepped back, drew upon the memories of Durandal, and then stepped forward with a diagonal slash.

This time, there was no resistance to the attack and Durandal's steel met Caine's unprotected flesh.

Blood splattered to the ground, this time solely Caine's.

It was a good attack. A deep slash that cut diagonally across Caine's left shoulder to his right side.

-Unfortunately, it wasn't immediately fatal.

Before another attack could follow to remedy that, Caine leapt back.

"No. No, no, no! This is _NOT_ how you are supposed to be! That power will _end_ you, Emiya Shirou! That is not the power that will allow you to defeat Him!"

Shirou didn't reply. Instead, he lunged forward, Durandal swinging upward to cut Caine in half-

"-Kuh."

-And he stopped mid-swing, blood spilling from his mouth.

_Error. Failure to sympathize with accumulated experience. Disabling 'release recollection'._

Shirou coughed and doubled over, clenching a hand around his chest. He grit his teeth and glared at Caine.

_Dammit...! _

He timed it wrong. While the plan was sound, he had overestimated his body's remaining stamina and his remaining reserves.

It should have been enough, but whatever he had done to save those vampires had taken more out of him then he had anticipated. That and the continuous projections he had done meant that he had reached his limit before he could finish the job.

Caine shook his head. "No. I cannot allow this, I WILL NOT allow this!" Caine turned back to Shirou, and raised a hand, letting his blood fall freely to the ground.

Seeing that, Shirou froze.

_Caine's attacks use his blood. My last attack spilled a large portion of his blood to the ground._

Sensing he was in imminent peril, Shirou tried to leap back. But the state of his body, coupled with his low reserves, meant that he would be too slow.

"Die, Emiya Shirou, before you can become a pawn in His game!"

The air around Shirou dimmed and became tinged with crimson as Caine's blood gathered. At the same time, mana surged and the air began crackling with energy.

Shirou saw all this and ran through his remaining options. Out of all of them, the only feasible one would be to use one of Durandal's miracles, but since it wasn't a projection, that would leave him permanently down a miracle to use.

_Better that than dying!_

Shirou exhaled and prepared to do just that when a voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Jonathan's Bow, for you are a vessel of the hero, swifter than eagles, stronger than lions! With all speed, dispatch your enemy!"

A flash of light shot towards Caine from behind Shirou, obliterating the hand that Caine had been using to gather his attack.

At the same time, his barrier triggered, moving to exact retribution to the attacker, which in this case-

"Shirou, milord, are you alright?"

Liliana landed behind Shirou with a soft _thump_. The sword she normally wielded had been transformed into a bow. She looked worried, and paled a bit when she saw the state he was in.

Shirou ignored all of that, his attention completely focused on the ominous red light gathering in front of Caine, one forming into the shape of the arrow that had pierced the barrier. At the same time, the damage inflicted upon Caine reversed, like time itself was unraveling to heal him.

_No._

Liliana's attack had been enough to obliterate Caine's arm through the barrier. Multiplied seven-fold, it would be enough to completely erase her.

_NO._

Shirou turned around, lunging at Liliana to protect her with his own body.

Liliana's eyes widened, realizing what had happened.

_NO!_

Caine smiled, an expression of content.

And then the arrow, empowered seven-fold by the barrier, was returned to Liliana.

"NO!"

_Save her._

A flash of crimson light and an explosion.

When it cleared, Liliana was on the ground.

_Save her._

Blood was pooling around her. Her entire right side had been blown away.

"Shi...Shirou... milord. Are you... alright?"

_Save her._

Caine was silent, that smile still on his face.

Liliana was lying on the ground before him, her life bleeding away with every second.

Seeing that...

_Save her... Savior._

...Shirou denied it.

His body was at its limit, his reserves had dipped to a level that could be called non-existent, and even if he wanted to, he knew of nothing that could prevent the reality unfolding before him.

Even so...

"...This body was made to save."

...When had that ever stopped him?

Only a miracle could save Liliana.

Only a miracle could defeat Caine.

Only a miracle could undo all the tragedy that had occurred today, all the loss that had been inflicted upon this city.

That was fine. So long as there was a shred of hope, so long as he was still standing-

_Cha**ng *to*** in * **ta*nt d*e**_

-It would occur.

Time ground to halt. At the same time, a sword found itself in Shirou's hand, one bearing a light that could be identified by any god, alive or dead.

When the light reached Liliana, her wounds faded away, dissolving as if they never existed.

When the light reached the ruined buildings, they shimmered before resuming their previous forms, unblemished by the day's destruction.

When the light reached Caine, time resumed, and the Heretic God was cut down.

* * *

Shirou stared into Caine's eyes. Despite Shirou's attack, the Heretic God was still standing. However, his appearance had returned to what it had been when they first met.

Instead of a man, feral and wild, there stood a youth, peaceful and pure. The shadows had dispelled, turning back into a white suit and pants. His eyes, once crimson, were again the shifting colors of the rainbow, and his hair had gone back to the gray it was originally.

The two were silent, and then Caine smiled, the same content expression he had earlier. "At last... this long life of mine can come to an end."

The hostility and malevolence from the god had faded, replaced by an aura of peace and gratitude.

Shirou remained silent.

"Nothing to say?" Caine shook his head slightly. "...As I expected. I cannot make amends for my sins, Emiya Shirou, but with my death I can at least..."

Caine fixed Shirou with a stern gaze. "Kill him, Emiya Shirou. Destroy the Tyrant God and free Humanity once and for all. If it's you... if it's with that power you have awakened to, even the King will..."

Whatever Caine was going to say remained unspoken as the god crumbled into dust. The only sign that he had existed in the first place was a sword of pure obsidian, glowing with crimson stars. Even then, the moment Shirou looked at it, the sword vanished, and with it the last traces of Cain, the first murderer.

...But there was more to do.

Liliana got up and blinked, and then patted down her side in disbelief. "I'm... alive? But that's..." She looked up at Shirou, her eyes wide. "Milord, did you... save me?"

Before he could reply, Shirou felt something being pressed inside him- no. That wasn't quite accurate. It was more like someone insistently pushing something towards him, like a person giving him something they refused to take back.

And when that finished, he could hear it. _Feel _it.

The lives lost, the souls still gathering in the city.

The permeating gloom and pleas for the cruel reality to be overturned, for life to return as it once was.

The unheard _Lacrimosa_ that continued to resound.

"...Milord?"

Shirou closed his eyes. When he did, he saw the countless lights scattered throughout, the souls of the dead that had reached an untimely end.

An end he could undo.

"The Master of Death itself. With this ring as proof, I declare. I am the one who governs the cycle of life and death. I am the one who will decide if death is just. And so I say... people will not die if they are killed."

A declaration against the World and Fate itself. In response, a ring appeared on Shirou's right hand, one with a gold band and a simple black stone.

An Authority that could revive all those who had died, that could grant Salvation to those in despair and grief.

The last of Shirou's reserves drained as he powered the Authority to reverse the day's tragedy.

On the verge of blacking out, in that brief moment between consciousness and unconsciousness, Shirou thought he caught a glimpse of something.

A distant horizon, grass spreading out to infinity. A land filled with soft golden light, untouched and shielded from the outside world...

It was with that vision in his mind that Shirou blacked out.

* * *

_You cannot save everyone..._

_Even so, I will do what I can, because..._

_This body was made to save._

* * *

Within the city, upon a rooftop, an Earth Goddess of darkness and wisdom awoke, a majority of her power restored.

Within his home, a King who had lost his Knight returned to the conscious world, woken by his sister and a priestess.

Upon the scene, an ex-tyrant descends, the Servant returning to inform the Master.

And away from it all, from a place among the heavens, a god of Steel watched, noting the events that had occurred.

* * *

_Beware, King. Fate shattered, a new path opened._

_Beware, the King, the End, the rend._

_Beware, for soon, the Strongest Steel shall arise._

_Beware, for soon, He of Chaos shall revive._

* * *

A/N: I'm back! Hopefully better than ever, but who knows, eh?

Anyway, I won't ramble on for too much longer.

This chapter might have- scratch that, will likely have more than a few errors here and there. I'll get on that after the holidays, but I wanted you guys to have *something* to read, and this is at the least readable, so there's that.

On another note... er. Actually, that's... pretty much it?

Thanks for reading, and leave a review if you feel like it. If there are things you want to point out, PMs are probably the best way to reach me.

Once again, thanks for reading, and until the next!

...Which hopefully won't be another quarter of a year.


	11. A Brief Moment's Respite

**Chapter 10: A Brief Moment's Respite**

Godou woke up in his room. An ordinary scene, a familiar sight.

He shook his head and got out of his bed, all the while feeling like he was forgetting something important.

He shrugged it off. After all, there wasn't anything that Erica couldn't tell him later.

A sudden urge to call her, to hear her voice and make sure she was alright. A silly impulse, but he followed it.

His phone lay across a desk near his bed. He reached over to grab it, but before he could, the door to his room opened.

"Onii-chan!"

Shizuka. Godou's younger sister. She ran up to him and gave him a hug, concern clear on her face. Yuri followed her, carrying a matching expression.

"Are you alright?! Mariya-senpai told me that you two got caught up in the crisis downtown! You're not hurt, are you?"

"Eh?" Godou tilted his head. "What are you talking about? We came straight here after school, didn't we?"

He turned towards Yuri for confirmation, only to see her biting her lip.

Something was missing. There was something about this situation that Godou wasn't realizing. It bothered him, and seeing Yuri's expression only further dampened his mood.

"...Shizuka-san. Why don't you leave us alone for a bit."

"Mariya-senpai-"

Yuri gave Godou's sister a small smile and then gently led her out of the room.

And with that, there was only Godou and Yuri.

Godou noted that Erica was nowhere to be seen. Again, that feeling that he was missing something, that he was forgetting something important, something he _had _to remember, and yet something that if he remembered-

He shook his head, clearing it of the uneasy feeling he had and turned his mind to the important question. "Yuri, where's Erica? Did she run off and do something silly again?"

He said that with a light tone, but it did nothing to lighten Yuri's expression. If anything, she seemed even more uneasy after he spoke.

Silence filled the room for a few moments, and then Yuri spoke. "Godou-san. Do you... not remember what happened?"

The words were tentative, hesitant.

Godou didn't understand why she would speak that way-

_Splashes of blood, a body falling to the floor, heartrending despair..._

-so he shook his head. "Something happened? Was it a Heretic God?"

"...What is the last thing you remember, Godou-san?"

"I..." Godou frowned. "No, we were walking to Emiya-senpai's house. You, me, and Erica."

Yuri winced at Erica's name, and said, "I... see."

"What's wrong, Yuri? Did something happen to Erica? She should be here, right? Unless she had some other business to attend to?"

"Godou-san-"

"No, that's not right. She just got back from Italy today, didn't she? So that couldn't be it. Well, she'll show up sooner or later, right? Anyway, what's with Shizuka saying we were involved with the incident downtown? And what incident?"

Yuri remained silent.

Godou laughed. A nervous laugh.

He was missing something. There was no doubt about it. Something had happened, and there was something that he should remember, but-

_Blood. So much blood. Her blood, so vividly red like her favorite color-_

-he couldn't.

"Hey, Yuri."

A question. He had to know, even though he shouldn't know. Because to know would mean facing reality, and the reality was-

He shut down that train of thoughts and continued talking, ignoring the answer that seemed ready to break through.

"Why are you being so quiet?"

Yuri bit her lip, avoiding Godou's gaze.

"Yuri?"

"Erica-san... isn't coming back."

He froze, sudden realization sending his mind into freefall, the truth spilling into view-

And yet he rejected it.

"Haha... what are you talking about, Yuri? Erica's just busy, isn't she? Oh, I know. I'll just call her. She'll probably tease me about it, but-"

"Godou."

Yuri's soft voice brought him to a halt. "Erica... she died in your arms earlier today after protecting you."

"...You're lying."

"Godou-"

"YOU'RE LYING!"

He smashed his hand against the desk nearby, shattering it into bits.

A small part of his mind noted that Yuri shrieked and Shizune called out from beyond his room, but he ignored it.

_Erica can't be dead._ That energetic, teasing, somewhat annoying but always caring girl by his side couldn't die. Couldn't be dead.

But she-

_NO!_

She was alive. She had to be alive. She couldn't be dead.

"Godou-"

Her body falling to the ground. Her blood splattered everywhere. Her lips, pale and never to breathe another breath again-

"GET OUT!"

He didn't know who he addressed that to, his thoughts or Yuri. Either way, the shrine maiden nodded and bowed out of the room, leaving him alone.

And it was alone that the memories came creeping back, sinister vines bearing the cold sting of truth.

Hordes of monstrous creatures appearing downtown, common citizens twisted into something else. Fighting the heretic god Caine. Erica's wound, and then her body lying cold to his touch, never to draw breath again.

Godou froze. He rejected the existence of the reality before him, denying it with all his will. In doing so, he drew upon his powers, the divine authorities coming forth easily, moreso than ever before.

And it was with that he could no longer deny it.

He remembered. He remembered using more than one of them at a time. Remembered that he had used almost all of them against Caine, and in doing so managing to cut through the barrier created by the omnipotent God Himself... and yet it did nothing to avoid the fact that Erica wouldn't be coming back.

Godou walked over to his bed and sat down, covering his face in his hands.

"Godou."

Her soft voice calling his name, so rudely cutting off the honorifics.

"Godou~"

The teasing lilt her voice always carried, one that he now knew was filled with her sincere love.

"Godou, my love. Why are you crying?"

-Cruel. Even now, he could hear her voice. Calling him, berating him.

Her soft sigh, her fragrant scent...

"What a kind king you are, my Godou. But tears don't suit your kingly visage, you know?"

Those words drifted towards him, and then he felt a warm hand caress his cheek before wiping away his tears.

Godou looked up.

_Impossible._

He had seen her die. Had felt the warmth drain out of her. Carried her cold body with him, knowing all too well that her eyes would never open again, that her voice would never again call his name.

And yet-

"...Erica?"

-She was here.

A dream. This had to be a dream. He knew it had to be a dream.

A cruel dream, reminding him of all he lost. A cruel dream, reminding him of the one he loved. A cruel dream, reminding him that what could have been would never be, all because of him.

But even if it was a dream, even if it was cruel, he didn't mind.

Just once more.

To see her again, to hold her again, to have her call his name again...

He pulled her into a hug and wrapped her in his arms, holding her tight. "Don't leave me," he said.

He felt her stiffen, a soft breath escaping her with his declaration.

"Even if this is just a dream, even if you're just an illusion..."

He tightened his grip. "I'm sorry, but I won't let you go. I won't let you leave again. I swear, I'll become the greatest king of them all, so please don't-"

He couldn't say the words, fearing that they would break the dream. That, when he said them, he would find himself alone in his room and that he would wake up to the cold reality without her.

Erica sighed and gently patted Godou's back. "Of course not, Godou. From now on... this knight will never leave your side."

Godou nodded and held her close, relishing the time he had with her before the dream ended.

Transient seconds stretched out to brief minutes. The brief minutes turned into tens of minutes, a seeming eternity...

And still, she had not gone.

Godou's eyes widened in realization and he pulled back, looking at her for the first time.

"Erica?"

Her blue eyes stared back at him, a soft smile on her lips. Her hair, the golden color he remembered, was a bit messy from when he held her, but was as fair as ever.

"You... are you really here?"

"Of course."

"This... isn't a dream?"

Her smile faltered a bit, and then she shook her head. "That would be quite a cruel thing... but no, this isn't a dream."

A faint glimmer of hope. "Then... this is real?"'

She leaned forward and pulled Godou into a hug. "Yes, my king. This is reality. I am here now, and I will never leave you again."

* * *

Athena frowned as she reached out with her powers. Divine sense, her Authorities... what was once lost had now been returned, almost in full.

Kushina watched as she did and said, "This is quite the fortunate turn of events, Athena."

Following the aftermath of Caine's death, Athena and Kushina retreated to a distance away from any cities, near a remote mountaintop. The latter had used her Authority to create a 'shrine'. At the height of Kushina's power, it would have prevented any from entering except those she permitted, but weakened as she was, it only shrouded them from view.

But it was enough.

Athena tilted her head, eyeing her hand curiously as sparks of darkness flitted between her fingers. "True enough. And yet... this concerns me. The amount of divinity required to have restored me to such an extent is not trifling."

It was enough to make up for what she lost against Godou and then some. Not quite her full power, yet infinitely close to it.

That face, coupled with the lack of a clear source for her sudden resurgence in divine power, was more than concerning.

Another party was a play here. Someone who would benefit from having her powers restored. Yet, for all of Athena's divine knowledge, she couldn't determine who it was.

...No. It was like she knew who it was, but couldn't place it. Like she had seen the person responsible, yet couldn't name them. No... like the person involved had no name-

"Does it matter? With your power restored, replenishing that of this Kushina will be simple, will it not?"

"That is true. And yet..."

Kushina narrowed her eyes, and for a moment the air about her changed, shifted. "Yet what? Have you decided to betray me now that you have regained your powers? After all that I have done to aid you, Lady Athena?"

Athena hesitated. _If only I could still view the future... but those paths are closed to me now._ "I suppose it matters not. We will continue to pursue the Heraneion, and then I will aid you in your own pursuits, as vowed."

Kushina smiled, the air around her returning to normal. "Wonderful. Then, while you make your preparations, this Kushina shall make her own. Let us meet again in one week."

Athena nodded and then left. Like Kushina, she had her own preparations to make.

As she thought about what was to come, Athena found her thoughts turning towards a certain black-haired Campione.

_Kusanagi Godou, my fate-bound. What lies ahead for us now that the future has been shattered and obscured by darkness?_

* * *

Back in Shirou's apartment, Liliana watched over her king while he rested in his bed. As she did, she recalled all that had happened that day, particularly the events occurring right after Caine's defeat.

An unprecedented event. Using an Authority, Shirou reversed the cycle of life and death. All of those who had been slain in Caine's wake had been restored to life, unharmed, and even lacking any memory of having died in the first place.

The thought of it filled Liliana with both worry and concern.

The worry came from the fact that a Campione with such power had never been recorded.

While self-resurrection was not uncommon, resurrection of others, particularly to full-health and not in an undead state such as Voban's servants, remained rare. Only scant tales existed of such feats, and such feats only ever resurrected one individual, often with a large price.

To be able to resurrect essentially an entire city and only fall unconscious...

"Milord is truly incredible," Liliana whispered.

And with that thought came the concern.

Shirou, Liliana's king, was an outrageous existence. While one of his Authorities allowed him a means of anonymity while under a disguise, it was one easily breached, and ineffectual against any god. Indeed, it seemed to draw gods toward him rather than deter them, if Caine's appearance was any indication.

Soon, if not already, the other mage associations of the world would send people out to find him.

That in and of itself wasn't concerning. Shirou had already proven his strength, and Liliana had no doubt that he could stand against any foe that rose before him.

No, what concerned Liliana was...

"...Am I fit to stand by his side?"

She had sworn as his knight to protect him. And yet, she was unable to. Indeed, the one who ended up being protected in the end was her.

Liliana ran her left hand lightly across her right side. Even now, she could recall the feeling of Caine's counter tearing her body apart, of having her entire right half blown away.

Useless. Since the time she had become his knight, she hadn't been able to help him. Instead, he was the one that helped her.

Defeating Marquis Voban and freeing her from his service.

Taking her out to go shopping and providing for her needs.

Even going so far as to use his power reverse the wounds inflicted upon her after she foolishly attacked Caine.

And wasn't that a novice mistake. In her haste, she attacked Caine, the one she knew was protected by a barrier that would counter with seven times the force of any attack it stopped.

Liliana let out a bitter smile. _Such naivety, to believe that one such as I would be able to protect milord._

Even after the battle, the one who had brought them back to Shirou's apartment had not been her, but Marquis Voban, returning once he felt Shirou using his powers.

_"Foolish girl! Our King is not one who needs protecting! For someone like you to be at his side would only serve as a distraction!"_

The ex-tyrant's harsh words echoed through her mind.

Harsh as those words had been, it was true. Liliana, though a talented knight, had only distracted Shirou in the battle.

Shirou himself would never say as such, but Liliana knew it was because he was kind. A king far too kind towards someone like her, who wasn't even needed. Who could not stand beside him, despite her bold claims.

Someone who ended up being nothing more than a damsel in distress, like those in the stories she had read.

Liliana sighed and cast her gaze back upon Shirou.

Seeing his pale face, still recovering from his Authority, Liliana had an epiphany.

...It was true that she might not be able to stand by his side. Even if she trained for a hundred lifetimes, the fact was that she was a human and he was a Campione. There was a gap between them too large for her to ever close, but that did not mean she was useless.

Her King was still uninformed about a majority of the world he found himself in. That, coupled with his kind nature, would mean that he could be manipulated by those who had less than noble intentions. _Especially if other organizations sent someone like Erica to s-seduce him._

Unacceptable!

The thought of her King being snared by a foul witch like Erica sent Liliana's blood boiling.

Soon, enemies would gather around her King, and unlike Heretic Gods, they would be those he could not expect.

But Liliana could. As a knight, it was her duty to protect her King. And while she might not be able to protect him in the field of combat, at least in other avenues she could do so.

Erica served in a similar regard to Kusanagi Godou, did she not? In that case, Liliana could easily do the same.

Liliana nodded. The feelings of doubt and uncertainty she had earlier were gone, replaced by the determination to serve Shirou in the best capability she could.

And if that meant resorting to the tactics Erica showed her to fend off other harlots, so be it!

...Sometime later, Liliana would note that her line of logic had gone from 'protecting Shirou as a knight' to 'making sure he didn't fall victim to seductive witches'. She would later blame those feelings on the romance novels she read, but never deny them outright.

* * *

Following Caine's defeat at the hands of Lord Weiss, the ones most busy were those of the History Compilation Committee.

Though to call them 'busy' would be a vast understatement.

Countless civilians found unconscious on the streets or in buildings with no memory of how they arrived there, copious amounts of blood with miraculously no bodies, people claiming to have seen the dead rise again... it truly was 'hell' that had descended upon the city, though at this point it seemed to have been only a nightmare.

The members of the History Compilation Committee were working overtime to ensure that the supernatural activity of the day was hidden as effectively as possible. To that extent, thorough investigations of all involved, hypnosis of those who were suspicious, and restriction of all communications to the outside world before a proper story could be resolved were all performed.

It would have seemed terribly suspicious, what with an exceedingly large number of men in black suits running here and there throughout the city and bringing in various people for questioning, if not for the fact that it was Tokyo that had been affected.

As it were, the sight of such people only raised morale in the wake of a seemingly extensive terrorist attack.

Discussing these events from a certain shadowy room were the four who had met with Lord Weiss earlier in the day.

Lady Seishuuin narrowed her eyes as she saw the damages inflicted upon the city... or rather the lack thereof.

"Are these reports accurate, Amakasu?"

The seemingly ordinary businessman nodded and said, "Yes, Lady Seishuuin. They are."

"Impossible!" Lord Renjou turned his gaze on Amakasu as well. "Have you gone out to examine it yourself?"

Again, Amakasu nodded. "I have. And as impossible as it may seem, it is still the truth. Despite the damages to the city we witnessed earlier during the battle between Lord Weiss and the Heretic God Caine, of the destruction, no signs remain."

Lord Renjou leaned back in his chair, his gruff expression shifting into one of deep thought.

"This is fortunate, is it not?" Lord Kuhoutsuka said, the balding old man smiling as he did so. "Casualties are at an all time low for a Heretic God's descent. Though other countries are concerned now that Tokyo seems to have suffered a wide-spread terrorist attack, the fact remains that Lord Weiss did as he said he would do: protect the innocent."

"That is what is concerning, Lord Kuhoutsuka." The speaker was the red-haired Lord Sayanomiya. "Even for a Campione, such a feat is nigh miraculous. Though I cannot deny the benefits we have obtained from allying with Lord Weiss, the abilities he has shown..."

That statement sent everyone into silence as they recalled the feats that the latest Campione performed in his battle against Caine.

"Materializing blades from thin air, strong enough to defend against Caine's barrier. Managing to bypass the barrier granted by God Himself. Strength and speed, coupled with sword technique that could rival Lord Salvatore Doni. And that does not even take into account his final feat of reviving those who had fallen today."

Lord Sayanomiya laced his fingers together and rested his head on top of them. "...He is dangerous. Perhaps worse than Lord Kusanagi. At the least the Diavolo Rosso is keeping that one in check. But for Lord Weiss..."

"You fear him having no minders?" Lady Seishuuin said.

Lord Kuhoutsuka frowned. "What of Liliana Kranjcar?"

Lord Sayanomiya shook his head. "No, she will not be enough. Do you recall how subservient she was when they arrived? Unlike the Diavolo Rosso, she is not willful nor in love with her King. The influence that could keep Lord Weiss in check is not present with her, unlike with Lord Kusanagi."

"Then what do you suggest?" Lady Seishuuin said. "Send my granddaughter to him to try and persuade him?"

"...No." Lord Sayanomiya sighed. "From what we have seen of Lord Weiss, that would only backfire. Despite her lack of influence on Lord Weiss, Liliana Kranjcar still possesses her King's favor. Trying to subvert that, or anything that could be seen as an attempt to do so would only serve to fray our already thin connections."

"Bah!" Lord Renjou spoke, the gruff man finally breaking out of his contemplation. "You're all worrying too much."

Lord Sayanomiya narrowed his eyes. "And you worry not enough, Lord Renjou."

"Lord Weiss went out of his way to save the innocents in this city, enough that he fell unconscious after the battle and remains unaccounted for even now," Lord Renjou said. "Even during his fight, he did his best to limit destruction, restraining himself to only those blades when he could have used an Authority to defeat the Heretic God in one fell swoop. I have no doubt that we can trust an honorable man such as he."

Lord Sayanomiya sighed upon seeing Lord Renjou's determined gaze. "...Very well. But the fact remains that we must be cautious. Even an honorable man can turn to violence when the situation calls for it, and I would not wish for us to be the target when that occurs."

The four were silent once more, considering the situation and what they could do to prevent future chaos.

Amakasu broke it. "Why not reinforce our ties with Lord Kusanagi?"

"...Explain," Lady Seishuuin said.

Amakasu nodded and said, "While he might be a bit... destructive in his battles, the fact remains that Lord Kusanagi is both capable and willing to confront those who would harm those he cares for. Among those includes Erica Blandelli and Mariya Yuri. Why not make it another, one who would vouch for us in the case that Lord Weiss turns against us?"

"...The idea holds merit," Lord Sayanomiya said. "...But I suppose we may leave it for another day." He turned towards Amakasu. "Leave us."

The man nodded. "As you say."

When he was gone, Lord Sayanomiya turned to face his fellow peers and said, "Now onto the more pressing matter... the latest prophecy from Princess Alice."

* * *

He was dreaming. The one known as Emiya Shirou was dreaming.

It was something he was familiar with, though something about this time seemed different.

A flash of white light, followed by a blur of blue and gold.

_Static._

It was a familiar scene, a familiar setting. He was against the wall of his shed, having been cornered by Lancer. Just before his death, someone appeared to save him.

_Static._

"I am... Ask of you... my Master?"

_Static._

He couldn't see their face. All he could see was a blur, and all he could hear were a few words, coupled with static.

_This is-_

The scene changed. ***** fighting at his side. Jumping in front of ***** to protect her from Berserker's axesword.

_Static._

Archer sacrificing himself to buy them time to escape from Ilya and Berserker.

A frantic ritual in the woods to empower *****.

Him, tracing a sword, her sword to defeat Berserker.

_...No. This is wrong._

That never happened. He had never experienced that.

...And yet he had, hadn't he?

_-No. I hadn't._

Static.

Facing off against Kotomine Kirei before Angra Mainyu, Ilya hovering above behind the fake priest.

***** fighting against Gilgamesh behind Shirou on the temple grounds.

Him, commanding ***** with his last command seals to destroy the grail.

Static.

The last time he saw her, standing before the rising sun. A scene that he would carry in his heart until the end of time. Even if he couldn't recall her face anymore. Even if those precious memories of her faded-

"Shirou. I-"

Static, and then pain beyond anything Shirou had ever felt.

_Wrong._

That wasn't him. This wasn't him. Even if it was someone that looked like him, someone who spoke like him, someone with the same starting point as him, it wasn't him.

_Static._

A field of distant green fields, the homeland where ******* awaited him-

_Static._

It distorted, shimmering to be replaced by another setting, that of a distant hill, a sakura tree, and twilled ground.

Inherited experiences, telling of a time chasing after a dream he knew could not come true.

Accumulated memories, those of a reliable black swordsman fighting at his side, acquiring a miracle to save one who could not be saved, sacrificing it all to restore them all to life.

The two conflicted, and against his will, Shirou was forced to watch more.

Running across countless battlefields, never defeated, nor ever attaining victory.

Fighting with all his might to save those that could not be saved, knowing that his dream would never come true.

Reaching the end of his time, meeting her again beyond it.

And then-

There was the sound of shattering glass.

In an instant, the scene dissolved, replaced by scouring winds.

...Someone was standing there. At the edge where twilled ground met green fields.

With his back to him, staring out into the horizon, a figure bathed in white light stood.

-Familiar. Something about the figure was familiar. And at the same time, something about the figure repelled him.

A feeling that, if the two were to meet, the only outcome would be conflict. Similar and yet dissimilar, the same and yet not the same. A connection that could not and should not exist-

"Salvation is not yours to wield, Emiya Shirou."

-And one that was instantly severed.

With those words, the figure strode forward into those distant fields. At the same time, those green lands faded, distorting like a mirage that never existed.

Shirou woke up.

* * *

A/N: Well, I'd anticipated this chapter to be a bit longer, but decided this was a good breaking point. Next time might be a time skip before we head off to Italy, and into the domain of a certain Salvatore Doni.

I hope this was an enjoyable read, and feel free to leave a review with your thoughts if you want, though I can't promise any replies.

On a side note, FateOnline has a list of challenges for any of you would-be writers out there who need some premises to get the ball rolling, so do go check them out if you're interested. You can probably find him in the reviews of this story somewhere.

Anyway, that's all from me for now.

Have a wonderful day and until the next!


	12. To Italy!

**Chapter 11: To Italy!**

Dreaming. Shirou had been dreaming.

A nostalgic feeling welled up in him at that thought. A strange sensation disconnected from any memories. He shook his head. "Are these... Archer's memories?"

Flashes of a swordswoman with golden hair filled his mind as he tried to recall the dream.

A sense of familiarity, awe, and determination emerged in response. At the unbidden emotions, Shirou frowned.

Meeting her at the end of his life, having chased an ideal that would never come true-

_ERROR. INVALID USER. CORRUPTED DATA DETECTED. RELOADING ACCUMULATED MEMORIES_

Dread, hope, acceptance, denial. This was him, was not him, had been him, would never be him-

Shirou stumbled out of his bed. "Wh-at?"

The world seemed to turn on its end. Shirou's vision blurred in and out. His ears filled with harsh static, and his body felt as if it was burning from the inside, filled with liquid steel.

Panic, concern, confusion. He staggered towards the door.

Recollections of a path 'he' had taken in another timeline filled his mind with every step.

Shirou grit his teeth. "That... isn't... me!"

His legs failed him, all sensation in his body cutting off in an instant, leaving him in a numb darkness.

One would normally feel fear at this, but Shirou instead felt anger. Something or someone was trying to change him. To erase the memories of his past. Tried to erase the memories of the life and sacrifice he made. Of the ones he created a miracle to save.

Shirou wouldn't allow it.

Static.

_Geez, you're really hopeless, aren't you Shirou? _

Static.

_Yep, definitely an idiot. But... that's what I love about you, Shirou._

Static.

_ Just... promise me that you'll come back if it gets too dangerous._

Shirou grit his teeth, forcefully clinging on to those fading scenes.

Determination. He was determined. Even if they were to never meet again, he refused to let those times go.

"-lord!"

A sound from somewhere far away. A voice drifting towards him as if worlds apart. In the maelstrom trying to erase him, it served as an anchor.

"-rou! ...hear me? can't... then I..."

Who he was, what he was now. He could no longer protect them. That life he had was over. At the same time, he was not the one who pursued the ideal of saving everyone to its end. The reason was... this body was made to-

A soft sensation against his lips, followed by warmth spreading throughout his body. Reality snapped back into clarity. When it did, he realized someone was standing in front of him.

A young woman who had sworn herself to him, entrusted him with her life. Someone who stubbornly remained at his side in the last battle when she knew death was more than just a possibility.

She stood apart from him, red-faced but clearly concerned. "Shirou. Are you alright now? I'm sorry if it was a bit sudden, but you-"

"Liliana."

At him saying her name, her face turned even redder. "I-"

"Thank you."

A sentiment from his heart.

Lost things wouldn't find themselves, and what was broken would remain so for all time. Having cast it all away for a chance to save them, he had been lost. What he should be doing, what he wanted to do.

Those he cared for were safe, their lives continuing onwards while he had remained stagnant. Though he lived, he had not truly _lived_. What he had been was no longer who he was, and what he could be clashed with what he became.

Seeing Liliana in front of him and staring at him with genuine concern. Recalling that she had risked her life for him, despite all he had done to burden her...

He could no longer protect those he gave everything to save. He could no longer pursue the ideal to save everyone that could not be protected.

All he could do now was...

_Protect her._

...try his best.

* * *

Shirou sat down on the couch in his living room and was lost in thought.

It was morning, the day after he had slain Caine and officially acted in his capacity as a Campione.

According to Liliana, that is.

And about his capacity as a Campione... he should probably check back in with the History Compilation Committee sometime soon. That or have Liliana go see them.

In any case, Shirou was doing some thinking. "Yesterday was a disaster," he muttered.

Times like those were when Shirou wished he still had access to all his powers. But as it was, he had to simply make do with what he had. And what he had was what he still needed to figure out.

Authorities, his magic, magic in this world... they seemed to be different. That was something he had to go over with Liliana at some point still.

Speaking of Liliana, at the moment, the knight was in the kitchen, cooking something for the two of them to eat.

She was dressed casually and seemed more relaxed around him for some reason. He wasn't too sure why, but he was glad for it.

_And you should be focusing on finding out what you can do so she isn't hurt like that in the future._

He let out a grimace at that thought. Liliana... she had almost died in the last battle. If it wasn't for that Authority of his, she wouldn't even be standing there.

...She had been willing to lay down her life for him. Even knowing it was futile to attack Caine, she had done it anyway. That was something Shirou couldn't forget, a debt he had to repay.

An outcome he would not allow again.

Shirou glanced at the time on his phone. It was 8 AM. Still early. It was also the weekend now, something he'd missed in all the recent events.

_And summer vacation begins on Monday._

He smiled at the thought. A nice reprieve from things would be good. He had some money stored away, so maybe it would do some good to go traveling for a while. Maybe go look at some historical artifacts to build up his weapon stores again.

Not that they had ever been great to begin with, unlike some of his other counterparts. But he had the advantage in that he could craft new weapons using Divine Instrument Forging and-

_Hold on._

He had Divine Instrument Forging. An ability that had been grafted on his soul and allowed him to use pretty much anything as base material so long as they had enough 'accumulated memories' or 'mystery'. Granted, he couldn't mass produce Noble Phantasm weapons anymore, but he could make some specific weapons for specific situations.

...And he could make them from his Authorities.

Shirou immediately jumped to his feet and started heading towards his room. Dozens of ideas were bouncing around in his head, plans, countermeasures-

And then the doorbell rang.

Liliana called out from the kitchen. "Shirou? Are you expecting anyone today?"

"...No. I'm not."

That concerned him somewhat before he realized it was likely the History Compilation Comittee sending someone to meet him after the events of yesterday.

It was with that in mind that he walked over to the door's display to see who was visiting him-

"Yoo-hoo~! Emiya-san, are you home?"

-And saw the familiar smiling face of a certain blonde vixen as well as... a grateful looking Godou?

Shirou blinked, momentarily confused, and then put on a guarded look. "Erica-san, Godou-san. What are you doing here?"

Erica grinned from the other side of the door and said, "You should know what this is about by now, shouldn't you 'Eighth Campione'?"

...He should've seen this coming to be honest.

Shirou sighed. "I guess there's no hiding it, huh? Well, come on in."

He turned around and walked inside. "Liliana, we have guests."

"I heard."

Shirou sighed and resisted the urge to pinch his nose to ward off the upcoming headache.

* * *

Shirou took a sip of his tea, trying his best to ignore the tense mood in the air.

At the moment, everyone was sitting down at his living room table, what now seemed to serve more as a setting for impromptu meetings.

Shirou found himself hoping that Voban didn't make a sudden appearance as well. There had been enough surprises for the past few days.

In any case, Shirou and Liliana were seated on one side of the table, and on the other were Erica and Godou.

Erica was calmly sipping on some tea that Liliana had prepared for them, mirroring Shirou.

Godou sat beside her, staring at Shirou as if he had something to say, but backing down before gathering enough courage to do so.

Liliana was staring daggers at Erica, as if it was taking everything she had not to run her through with a sword. Why, Shirou had no idea, but it was enough for him to have a headache.

Erica was the first to break the silence. "This is some lovely tea, Liliana, dear."

Liliana responded with a forced smile. "You're... welcome Erica."

Shirou sighed. "So what do you want, Erica? You already know that I'm the Eighth Campione."

And thus Shirou addressed the elephant in the room.

Normally, it would have been impossible for anyone to realize it. Or, it should have been if his Authority was working properly.

...Unfortunately, it seemed that either it was on the fritz from the recent battles, or he had been too careless in leaving behind clues.

The thing was that he wasn't sure which it was, which made him slightly nervous.

It wouldn't change too much if word got out that he was the Eighth Campione, but Shirou was a simple man. He preferred a life of obscurity rather than publicity. Heck, his popularity at the school was already enough trouble.

"Oh, it's not me who wants to talk to you, Emiya-san, but rather my dear King." She turned towards Godou and gave him an encouraging smile. "Go on, Godou."

_...Eh?_

Godou nodded and let out a long sigh. Immediately after that, he bowed his head against the table. "Emiya-senpai! Thank you very much!"

"...Eh?!" This time, Shirou couldn't help but voice his confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Godou kept his head on the table and said, "In the last battle, I acted as a failure of a King! Not only did I fail to protect the city, but I couldn't even protect Erica!" He raised his head and looked at Shirou with tears in his eyes. "Because I wasn't taking my role seriously, Erica died."

Liliana gasped and looked at Erica with wide eyes. "You died? You, the Crimson Devil died?"

Erica nodded. "Indeed I did. It's nothing short of a miracle that I was able to be reunited with my dear Godou. But enough about me. Godou?"

The younger Campione nodded and continued talking. "Emiya-senpai- No, Lord Emiya. As the Seventh Campione, I failed my duties. I failed my country. ...I failed Erica."

Shirou shook his head. "No, Godou. You didn't-"

"I DID!"

Godou jumped to his feet. "Erica died. Yuri almost died. And who knows how many countless others did! I couldn't do anything!" He clenched his fists and looked down, his voice low. "I couldn't do anything, but you could. You did. Lord Emiya..." Godou bowed again. "Thank you. This is a debt I can't repay. But if you ever need anything, anything at all, I-"

Shirou sighed and got to his feet and raised Godou's from his bow. "You don't need to thank me, Godou-san. After all, a senior should take care of his juniors, right?"

Godou gave him a grateful smile.

"Besides, what else are friends for if not to help others when they can't do something by themselves?"

Shirou recalled the tale of a black swordsman, fighting along his comrades to obtain a legendary sword to save the world.

"And on that note," Erica interrupted. "We have another manner to attend to."

Godou took a seat and Shirou did the same.

"What is it, Erica?" Shirou asked. "Does it have anything to do with my role as a Campione?"

"No, nothing so extreme. I was simply wondering if you had decided on your summer plans yet. The offer to travel with us to Italy is still open."

Right. She had said something about that a few days ago.

Shirou contemplated it for a moment.

On one hand, it would be good to take a break after all of the recent activities. On the other hand, if another Heretic God showed up while both he and Godou were out of the country...

Liliana tapped him on the shoulder.

Shirou raised an eyebrow. "Liliana?"

"I think it's a good idea, Milord."

Before Shirou could ask her to elaborate, Erica interrupted.

"Ah, yes." Erica nodded. "The Bronze-Black Cross has a station there as well, do they not? As Liliana's new King, it would be a wise idea to introduce yourself to her superiors. Of course, there is the trouble of running across that Doni character..."

Shirou frowned. "Doni?"

Liliana nodded. "Lord Salvatore Doni. Another of your peers, Milord. He's unparalleled with the sword and known to be rather... eccentric."

Godou sighed. "I'll say. He challenged me to a fight the first time I met him."

"Yes," Erica said. "That could be a problem should you come across him. Though, with your skill, Emiya-san, I think you stand a good chance if he decides to duel you."

"...You know, you're not convincing me much on going with you on this trip, Erica. And what if Heretic Gods show up while we're gone?"

That was Shirou's main concern.

Erica waved her hand. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that."

Shirou raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"While it's true that Heretic Gods descend suddenly and without warning most of the time, it is also true that they are drawn to the presence of Campione." Erica smiled. "If anything, you're putting them in danger by remaining here, Emiya-san."

That brought Shirou up short.

"Liliana. Is this true?"

The silver-haired girl nodded. "While not absolute, there has been a historical tendency for Heretic God appearances near Campione." She frowned. "Come to think of it, the presence of both Milord and Lord Kusanagi in the same area might explain the sudden appearance of such a powerful Heretic God."

Shirou mulled it over. _That's right. I'd forgotten._ Power attracted power. With his abilities as a Campione, even with his Authority shielding his presence somewhat, it was inevitable for him to draw out Heretic Gods. That, coupled with Godou's own status as a Campione made it a certainty.

He sighed. "I suppose it would be a bad idea now to suggest you guys going on by yourselves?"

"Well," Erica said. "We could. But the absence of a Campione where there had been two might draw the attention of other Heretic Gods as well."

_Damn it._

He couldn't win. If he left, odds were that he and Godou would attract danger in Italy. If he stayed and Godou left, odds were that a Heretic God might descend and he'd have to fight it off alone. And it would be down right selfish of him to ask Godou to stay.

Emiya Shirou wasn't a selfish person to begin with, so that was out.

After a bit, Shirou sighed. "Alright, Erica. You win. I'll come along with you on this Italy trip."

Erica clapped her hands. "Wonderful! We'll be heading out on Monday. Meet us at the airport and bring along a swimsuit. Ah, you too Liliana. And don't make me remind you of how easy it would be to 'lose' to others when we arrive if you don't give it your all."

That said, Erica bid them farewell. Godou did the same, and before long it was just Shirou and Liliana left in the house.

"...So what did Erica mean by-"

"Nothing, Shirou! Nothing!"

"...Right. If you say so."

* * *

After eating breakfast, Shirou retreated to his room to test out some of his new theories and abilities. He was seated cross-legged on the floor in the middle of his room. Once he was comfortable, he closed his eyes and said, "Trace, on."

His familiar aria stated, he began seeking out his powers once again.

There were his circuits, the same as they were, humming with power. His reality marble... he could sense that it was still there and store weapons inside of it, though the ability to do anything else with it seemed to be denied to him for the moment. It was likely he had to reach an epiphany of who he was first before he could use it again, even if he had more than enough mana to do so.

There was the system of sword skills grafted into him, along with the ability to create Divine Instruments that it granted.

...And then there were his Authorities, along with Durandal.

He now possessed five authorities. Two were the ones granted to him upon entering this world, those originating from Angra Mainyu: Void Avesta and Incarnation of Evil.

Void Avesta... it was something he still didn't fully comprehend, the intricacies of it hidden from him due to its very nature. However, he knew enough about it to tell that it provided some mild form of presence concealment, allowing him to shroud his true identity if he was careful.

_Just like a superhero costume._

Shirou let out a small smile at that thought, but then focused on analyzing his other powers.

Incarnation of Evil... it was powerful, yet restrictive. Overly specific, it was something he couldn't use without being _sure_ that all the conditions were met. Doing otherwise would only result in him being weakened at a time he couldn't afford. That being said, once it did work, he would reap large benefits, being able to permanently copy and even adapt the strengths of his opponent for himself.

Something to keep in mind should he face someone truly 'evil' once again.

Two more of his Authorities had been gained in his fight against Voban: Death Ring and Red Punishment.

The former was the catalyst allowing him to save those that Caine had killed. Like Void Avesta, Shirou wasn't completely sure of its complete powers, but knew enough that it was without a doubt his most useful Authority.

It was a power allowing him to defy death itself, saving those who could not have been saved. Something that allowed him to heal those in need, even bring them back across the boundaries of life and death itself.

...It was also something that had been damaged after his actions fighting Caine.

The strange frame of mind he was in at the end of the battle had caused a sort of resonance with the Death Ring, allowing him to draw forth power he didn't know he had. It was what created the miracle that saved those who could not be saved.

And in doing so, it had almost shattered the Authority, whether due to defiance of the natural order or because he had misused it.

Right now, the most that it could do was keep someone in stasis if they were on the verge of death and summon forth the souls of those he had slain, keeping them in a corporal body similar to Servants in the Grail War.

As for the other Authority he gained from Voban, Red Punishment was an offensive power. Similar to the flames that he had witnessed before being rescued by Emiya Kiritsugu, this Authority allowed Shirou to summon forth destructive fire that had a corrosive effect on those that could be called Gods of 'Steel'.

It was also the one he was going to use in his experiment.

"System call: Divine Instrument Forging."

He felt a thrum of power surge across his circuits, coursing at his words.

"Analyzing composite materials..."

The basis for the weapon would be Red Punishment, the divine Authority granting him power over cursed flames.

Another surge of power welled in his circuits, and he felt something else being pulled out of him, forcefully extricated from his soul.

It was painful, just as much as when he had first made a magic circuit all those years ago. A sensation of molten steel being poured into his very body.

But he expected it. The Authorities had been entwined with his very being, a part of himself as much as he was now a 'Campione'. Separating it to use it in such a manner wouldn't be without repercussions.

Even so, he persevered.

"Hypothesizing... the basic structure..."

A sword. That was what he planned to create. A weapon that didn't draw on his reserves, something he could use in the event he couldn't use projections. In the event his projections failed him.

He held out his right hand, clutching at the hilt of a sword that didn't exist yet, but one that _would_ soon enough.

Intense heat, an all-consuming fire that starkly reminded Shirou of his time wandering through that hellish scene. Something that could consume even him if he wasn't careful.

Shirou grit his teeth and said, "Reinforce composite materials."

That couldn't be allowed. Even if it was all-consuming, the fire belonged to _him_. It was his Authority, his power. As such, it wouldn't be allowed to be anything but obedient, something he did by reinforcing the connection between them.

Immediately, the heat quelled and Shirou felt something form in his outstretched hand.

"Synthesis complete."

Shirou opened his eyes.

The first thing he noticed about the sword he had made was that it was plain. The sword was a simple one and a half sword with a straight guard. Nothing special, unlike what you would expect from a sword crafted from Divine powers.

The second thing he noticed was that blood-red flames covered where he held the sword, and with a thought, he could direct them to wherever he wished.

_Looks like it works after all._

He was capable of forging items from his Authorities, and in doing so use them without the regular mana cost.

Just to confirm that, he sent Red Punishment into his reality marble and summoned it again.

It appeared without a sound, and without so much as a minor drain from his reserves. Summoning the flames didn't cost anything as well.

Shirou nodded, satisfied with the experiment, and returned the sword into his reality marble.

With that done, he turned his attention to his latest Authority, the one he gained from Caine.

He held out his hand once more, but this time focusing on his latest power. Almost immediately, it appeared.

_Lacrimosa... that's the name of it._

It was a pitch black sword, though at the same time not a sword. If one had to describe it, it looked like the starry sky at night in the vague shape of a sword.

Lacrimosa. The Authority gained from Caine was curious. Symbolic of his regret for murdering his brother, the sword mirrored it. While powerful, it was also something Shirou intrinsically despised.

It was something that drew power from resentment, regrets, and death. The more of each, the more despair in the surroundings, the more that there was a denial of tragedies, the more powerful it would become.

As someone who wanted to save as many people as he could, it was something that Shirou didn't like.

He couldn't deny its power though. By drawing forth the negativity in the surroundings, it allowed him to unleash a wave of energy that could probably level a city block, if not more. And that was only at the weakest.

He sighed and let the sword fade away. He could think on how to use it more later.

For now, he had other preparations to make, namely going shopping for some clothes to use in Italy.

"Italy, huh?"

Liliana could probably use some clothes as well, couldn't she?

* * *

Shirou and Liliana were walking around the streets. That in and of itself wasn't too much of a problem. No, the problem came with the fact that Liliana was standing uncomfortably close to him and was holding his arm.

"...Liliana. Remind me again why you think it's a good idea to be doing this?"

"As a knight, it's my duty to remain close to you at all times."

"...Right. I get that."

Shirou resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. "But why do you have to hold my arm like that?"

As it was, Liliana was holding his arm almost like...

_"Shirou. I-"_

A voice that he did/didn't recognize.

Shirou shook his head slightly to clear it.

"Shirou?" Liliana looked up at him, staring at him with her clear blue eyes. "Is something wrong?"

For a moment, he was startled as images of two other girls overlapped, one blonde and one with black hair-

"...I'm fine. Just haven't fully recovered yet from the battle it looks like."

Liliana frowned. "That's not good. Maybe we should just head back then-"

"No." Shirou shook his head. "You need clothes for the trip, don't you? The sooner we grab them the better. Besides, it's not like there's anything else I could be doing."

And there wasn't. With school out for the summer break as well as him being on paid leave from his job, he really didn't have much to do.

Well, Shirou *could* be studying, but with the fact that he'd memorized the curriculum for the upcoming semester already, it was kind of redundant.

"That's true, but Shirou-"

"Enough of that. We both need some time to relax after what happened and, well, from what I know about girls, the best way for that is a shopping trip, isn't it?"

Liliana bit her lip and nodded.

"Then it's settled. Besides, it's good to just get out of the house like this once in a while... though if you would let go of my arm-"

Liliana gave him a sly smile. "That, I refuse."

"Even if I order you to?"

"Even then."

Shirou sighed, giving in to the inevitability. "Alright, alright. So, did you have any place in mind?"

"Well..."

A few hours later, Shirou was mildly regretting taking Liliana out for a shopping trip, especially back at Roppongi Hills. As it was, the Eighth Campione was carrying around just as many bags as his title stated.

Currently, Shirou was seated at a table on the second floor of Roppongi Hills. Liliana had gone off to the nearest cafe, wanting a double turtle mocha... something or another. She had taken some pity on Shirou and told him to grab a seat and wait for her, which he did.

Superhuman strength and fortitude or not, shopping with women always served to be an ordeal, even for Shirou.

That thought made Shirou think of someone like Lancer being ordered around the mall by Rin or Ayako, and a small smile came to his face.

It abruptly dropped as he remembered that he'd never see them again.

Shirou let out a sigh and stared out into the crowd, past the many escalators and outlets.

"To let out such a sound. Could it be that troublesome thoughts burden you?"

A soft voice called out, drawing him out of his thoughts.

Shirou turned towards it, inwardly startled.

There was a girl sitting across from him. Beautiful, almost inhumanly so, and carrying an otherworldly grace. Sleek black hair falling down in curls, eyes the color of rubies... and a silky green kimono that contrasted with them.

"You're... Kushina, right?"

The girl smiled and nodded. "This Kushina is pleased that you remember her name, Emiya Shirou."

_Was I that out of it?_

He hadn't noticed her appear in front of him at all.

Shirou stared at her for a moment and then said, "What are you doing here?"

"Can a goddess not converse with a mortal she finds intriguing?"

Shirou narrowed his eyes.

Kushina laughed, a chime-like sound. "No need to be so tense, Campione. This Kushina did not come here today to fight."

"...Then what are you here for? It's not every day a goddess goes out of her way to meet her natural enemy."

Suspicious. Even if Shirou didn't sense any hostility from her, the act of her appearing out of the blue like that was suspicious. And he had to be careful as well.

They were in a populated area, and Shirou knew next to nothing about her powers. If she decided to start a fight, there was no guarantee that he'd be able to protect everyone, even with his greater understanding of his powers.

Kushina sighed when she saw the suspicion in Shirou's eyes. "Truly, you Campione are all a bloodthirsty group. Though you seem to be better than the rest by some margin."

Shirou frowned. _She changed her speech patterns..._

In an instant, her atmosphere changed. Gone was the grace she carried about her, and in its place was a violent air, filled with wrath.

"Ganjiang and Moye. I know not how you came to hold them, but in doing so you and I are bound by Fate."

Kushina straightened, and for a moment, Shirou caught a glimpse of an older woman, eyes hardened through harsh times.

The illusion quickly faded though, and in its place was the girl before him, though the stern look in her eyes did not.

Shirou didn't waver. From his admittedly few encounters with superhuman beings, he knew that was a bad idea. So instead of wavering, he stared at her dead in her eye and said, "...And?".

If his response surprised Kushina at all, she didn't show it. Instead, she smiled and said, "You will be heading to Italy soon, will you not?"

Shirou didn't respond for a moment, considering what she might be implying.

"And in doing so, along with the other Campione, you will leave this land so conveniently undefended, will you not?"

Shirou narrowed his eyes. "If you are threatening me-"

"Threaten you?" Kushina laughed.

Shirou felt the air around him change, filled with the sensation of a wild beast wanting to tear him limb from limb. An unstoppable and unyielding sort of pressure that felt like it could swallow him whole and leave nothing left.

And then it was gone, and Kushina smiled. "Were I to threaten you, Emiya Shirou, you would be aware."

"...You really aren't helping your case here."

Shirou spoke casually, but as he did he surveyed the surroundings. It seemed that whatever Kushina had done was restricted to their immediate surroundings, as there were no signs of disturbance.

"I do apologize, but I wanted to make sure you understood the situation. In any case, I have a favor to ask of you."

Shirou raised an eyebrow.

"Do not give me that look. It is nothing too large. Simply... stay out of my way when you arrive in Italy. As repayment, I will ensure that no harm comes to your country while you are away."

"...And why should I trust you to do that?"

This was a Goddess that had easily sought him out, showed him her power, and then casually stated she would protect Japan.

Shirou knew enough about these kinds of things that it wouldn't end well.

Kushina paused for a moment and then said, "As I stated, we are bound by Fate, you and I. Something unexpected, yet predetermined. No matter what either of us desire, we will be drawn together soon enough once more, like Lady Athena and her own 'Champion'." Kushina smiled. "Would it not better to be allies than enemies?"

Shirou frowned. _...At least she's being civil. _It was more than he could expect from any other god. And from the times he had met her, she didn't seem to be the type for wanton destruction.

"If you are still hesitating, allow me to tell you something that you might find interesting."

"Hm?"

Kushina closed her eyes and then said, "Beware, King. Fate shattered, a new path opened. Beware, the King, the End, the rend. Beware, for soon, the Strongest Steel shall arise. Beware, for soon, He of Chaos shall revive."

Shirou felt a chill run down his spine. _That's..._ They were ordinary words, but when Kushina spoke, he _felt _it. There was a certain _power _to what she said, a _certainty _about them that made him realize they were more than idle words.

Kushina opened her eyes. "...Those are the words of prophecy, a foretelling of what is to come. By now, they should be known even by your mortal organizations. This is why I ask for your cooperation. If the Strongest Steel arises... at that time, you will need every ally you can muster. Like you Campione are the mortal enemies of us gods, so too is the Strongest Steel the mortal enemy of you Campione."

Shirou nodded, though it was done absently. _Those words... _Kushina might not know much about them, but there was something about them that seemed to speak specifically to Shirou.

_Fate shattered, a new path opened._

Didn't he do just that when he arrived in this world? 'Emiya Shirou' had been just an ordinary high school student until he had taken over after his sacrifice. Not only that, but his Fate had been to vanish after what he did, but instead he found himself here.

"The King, the End, the rend..."

Shirou muttered those words under his breath.

"So do we have an accord?"

Shirou blinked, realizing that Kushina was still staring at him.

"Ah, that-"

Shirou pondered for a bit and then nodded. "Fine. I won't get in your way at Italy... but that's only if it doesn't involve the innocent. If you go out of your way to harm people-"

Kushina laughed. "So noble. Were it that the other Campione were so selfless... you need not worry, Emiya Shirou. My plans will not affect more than a handful of people."

He was worried about the handful of people, but considering the other scenario... "In that case, I agree."

"Wonderful! Then I will leave you be to prepare for your journey. Ah, but before I go-"

Shirou felt something soft brush against his lips. Swiftly following that was the scent of cherry blossoms. "Wha-"

Kushina smirked and said, "A gift. It may prove useful in the near future." That said, Kushina rose out of her seat and waved. "Farewell, my Fate-bound. Until we meet again."

Shirou blinked, still dazed at the recent events. _Did I just get kissed by a Goddess?_

"Shirou!"

A voice drew him out of his stupor.

When he blinked, he saw Liliana rushing over with a cup of coffee. He also saw that she didn't look all too pleased.

"Who was that... that harlot who kissed you in broad daylight? D-don't tell me you- I mean, i-if that is what you wanted, I-"

Shirou sighed.

* * *

After explaining things to Liliana, the two returned back home. Shirou spent the time in his room preparing and familiarizing himself with his powers again, especially after meeting Kushina. Liliana, in the meanwhile, went to receive the History Compilation Committee's report.

Time passed, and eventually it was the day of the trip.

Shirou and Liliana met the others at the airport early in the morning.

"Emiya-san! Liliana!"

Erica waved them over. "You two are early."

"Well, it's not like there was anything else to do."

That was true. Well, Shirou could have met with the History Compilation Committee again, but Liliana had assured him all was well on that point. Besides, with how easily his identity had been seen through by Erica, he thought it best to keep contact between him and the committee to a minimum.

"Greetings, Emiya-senpai." Yuri gave him a small bow.

Shirou nodded. "Yuri-chan."

"Looks like everyone's here." Godou nodded. "Should we get on the plane then?"

On the plane, they rode first class as expected. The girls shared a row of seats all to themselves, while Shirou and Godou had one to themselves a few rows in front of them. Enough to have some privacy, even without Erica's apparently judicious use of magic.

Really, she seemed to use it for pretty much everything. Rin would probably scold her for that, considering how upset she had been at Shirou for using his own magic to fix appliances.

Anyway, as it was, Shirou was sitting next to Godou. The younger Campione had a window seat, and was spending the time staring out of it.

The plane had reached its equilibrium point some time ago, so the view outside was that of free floating clouds and a seemingly endless sky.

It reminded Shirou somewhat of his reality marble prior to arriving in this world, though that had been a crimson sky on the verge of dawn rather than the blue he was seeing.

Shirou, having nothing else to do, closed his eyes and prepared to go to sleep when Godou spoke up.

"Emiya-senpai."

"Hm?" Shirou opened his eyes. "What is it, Godou-san?"

The black-haired Campione was still staring outside of the window. "...How do you do it?"

"Eh?"

Shirou was confused by his words. "What do you mean?"

Godou sighed. "How are you so... strong? We're both Campione, and we started around the same time, right? But compared to you, I'm so... weak. Pathetic."

_I see._ The recent events must still be hanging heavy on Godou's mind. Shirou should have realized it.

Godou continued. "When Yuri was in trouble, I could only run away and leave Erica to do the fighting. And then when Caine appeared, I did the same. But that time..." Godou let out a ragged sigh. "I lost her. I almost lost both of them. Erica and Yuri. I almost lost both of them. When I did, I realized that I..."

Shirou was quiet. He understood what Godou was going through all too well. The moment when you lose what had been a constant in your life and realized how you felt all too late. Wanting for something, anything to turn back the clock and undo it. Willing to give up everything for a single chance to see them again.

"It would have been too late. I was too late, but somehow, by some miracle, they're both still here. And that was because of you, Emiya-senpai. For that, I can't thank you enough."

Shirou shook his head. "Like I said last time, there's no need to thank me, Godou-san. A senior has to protect his juniors, especially when they get stuck with something they can't solve by themselves."

The lesson he learned from that black swordsman who had helped him stay afloat in such a chaotic time.

Godou turned towards Shirou and gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks... but I can't always count on you, Emiya-senpai." His smile turned into one of self-mocking. "If I did, wouldn't that be the same as running away?"

Shirou was quiet, realizing it wasn't his place to speak up yet.

"...I never wanted this, you know? Being a Campione. I'd just wanted to be a normal highschooler doing normal things. Even now, I still wish I could go back to those times."

Shirou could understand that as well, especially now in this new world.

It was easy to go with the status quo. To live a normal life and put on a facade of normality.

-But in the end, Shirou wasn't normal. And no matter how much he tried to be such, abnormalities would emerge. Either from him, or from the outside having been drawn to him.

It seemed that Godou had realized the same.

"But I can't," Godou said. "I learned that now. Running away... that'll only get the people I love killed." Godou blinked and gave Shirou a sheepish smile. "Ah, sorry for rambling so much."

Shirou shook his head. "No, I don't mind at all. I understand what you're going through."

Godou nodded. "I thought you would. So that's why I'm asking, Emiya-senpai. After all of this... would you teach me?"

"...Eh?"

Godou looked at him with determination in his eyes. "I want you to teach me. I need to know how to fight. I need to know how to stand by myself. I can't-" A flicker of regret and anguish in his eyes. "I can't be weak anymore. I _won't_ be weak anymore."

"And I'm the one you thought of to help you, huh?"

Godou nodded.

Shirou was quiet, contemplating Godou's request.

On the one hand, it would be good to help him out. Shirou empathized with the younger Campione a great deal, and having another capable allied Campione to work with when Heretic Gods descended was always a plus.

On the other hand... Shirou wasn't sure how to teach someone how to fight. All his abilities were intuitive in a manner of speaking, and he'd need time to figure it out-

_Blonde hair fluttering, practice swords clashing against one another, lessons ingrained through pain_

-That could work.

Shirou might not be the best teacher, but he could fight with Godou and point out where his abilities need work. With his 'eyes', Shirou could see the purpose of Authorities pretty well, and his 'affinity' towards swords would allow him to show Godou the best way to fight.

And failing that, he could always just beat him up until his reflexes kick in like...

Shirou frowned. _Like who?_ There was someone he wasn't remembering, a name on the tip of his tongue...

"Emiya-senpai?"

Shirou blinked, realizing Godou was still waiting for a response. "Ah." Shirou smiled. "Of course I'll teach you."

Godou pumped a fist in the air. "Yes!"

"But first things first." Shirou held out his hand.

"Hm?"

"From this point on, we're comrades."

Godou nodded and shook Shirou's hand. "I'm looking forward to working with you then, Emiya-senpai."

"Shirou."

"Eh?"

"You can just call me Shirou. There's no need to stand on formalities if we're comrades, is there, Godou-san?"

Godou smiled. "Alright, Shirou. In that case, you can just call me Godou."

The two broke off their handshake, and Godou said, "...Now what?"

Shirou glanced at his phone. "...Looks like we've still got a few hours before we get there. In the meantime, why don't you tell me what you can do?"

"Right. Well, the god I beat to become a Campione was Verethragna..."

* * *

Elsewhere, in a hidden location, two Goddesses stood before a towering pillar.

The shorter one, a girl with silver hair in what looked to be a school girl's outfit said, "...Are you sure that you care not for this power?"

Kushina shrugged, waving her hand. "I'd wanted to attain it, but now that I've gotten 'that', it would be meaningless. Truly, for 'him' to allow his maiden to wander around so unprotected... he's gotten careless."

If one were to observe her, they would note that there was something different about Kushina. Her air, manner of carrying herself... all of it seemed 'sharper'.

Athena nodded. "If that is your will, then I shall be the one to absorb this power. I thank you for your aid, Lady Kushina."

"It's no trouble. Merely, don't forget your promise, Lady Athena."

With another brief nod, Athena stepped forward and began absorbing the power from the Heraion...

* * *

In another location, a blonde man wearing an opened button shirt closed a cell phone and said, "...So Godou's returning to Italy, is he?"

Salvatore Doni smiled. "I wonder if he's gotten stronger from the last time we fought?"

* * *

Finally, floating in the sky above Naples and unknown to all those below, a certain 'Hero' watched the events unfolding.

"So my old foe is regaining her powers, and another 'Snake' has shown her face."

The 'hero' turned his head to the distance. "Not only that, but a pair of those villainous children of Pandora are arriving soon as well... and I see that there are quite a few maidens between them who have fallen for their wicked charms."

He grinned. "Well, I suppose it falls upon me to rescue them from their foul captors. Come, Campione. Come, you dragons. The time draws near for this Legendary Slayer of Dragons to make his appearance."

* * *

A/N: And here it is, the next chapter! A bit rough, but I've long since decided to give up on perfecting it, since that delays releases by months, apparently.

The next chapter will be out on the 9th of October.

On a side note, future chapters might be a bit shorter, around 3500ish words, but will be updated on a weekly basis, so that should make up for it.

Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading, and leave a review if you feel like it!

See you again on the 9th of October!


	13. To Italy: Landing

**To Italy: Landing**

Outside of the airplane, the skies were a clear blue. A scenic expanse that carried a sort of nostalgia, tinged with reminiscence of lazy days long past.

Staring at it through the window nearby, Shirou sighed. "Looks like I'm not cut out for international travel."

Having never been on a flight before, it had been a novel experience... for the first hour. But after talking to Godou for a while about his abilities, Campione duties, and other various subjects, they were still left with a large chunk of time. The consequence of international flights.

Godou, as a relatively normal high school student, decided to use the time and play some video games.

It was a pastime Shirou could relate to, having played some games as well a few years back. Unfortunately, after arriving in this world that was set a few years into the future, he hadn't gotten a chance to look through the unfamiliar titles.

That and there was the fact that video games had somewhat lost their appeal when Shirou could do almost everything they depicted in real life.

You could only fight monsters and pick up legendary weapons so many times before it got routine, after all.

Of course, lacking a video game console like what Godou had, that meant that Shirou was stuck on the plane for over ten hours with nothing to do.

He wasn't able to practice his usual magic, namely due to the fact that his specialty of materializing bladed weaponry was a big 'no' while on a plane. Even through Erica's judicious use of hypnotism and privacy spells.

Meditating on his reality marble provided a distraction for another hour, but after reaching a dead end with no results, he tossed that plan.

Sleeping had potential as a tactic in spending the time remaining until landing, but after a brief fifteen minutes of trying and failing to fall unconscious, Shirou had to give that up.

Walking back and forth from the bathroom proved somewhat helpful in relieving the pent up energy, but after a few glowering looks from various passengers, Shirou quietly returned to his seat.

Trying to analyze his powers for yet another time only spent another half hour before he quickly lost interest.

In the end, Shirou resorted to slumping over his seat and try to project something other than a sword.

From an objective point of view, due to his Authority's power in making his every action seem to meet the status quo, it looked more like Shirou had his eyes closed and was clasping his hands together in prayer.

Many sympathetic looks were given, especially after Godou explained to the flight attendants that it was Shirou's first flight.

Of course, Shirou didn't pay any attention to that, too focused on his literal 'task at hand'.

"Trace, on."

Muttering the familiar aria, he focused on the image in his mind.

It was difficult. With the passage of time and its seemingly insurmountable distance, he could no longer recall it as clearly as he used to. Despite that, he refused to stop until it was perfect, until he had a complete recreation of what he could no longer see except for in his mind.

-Would never see except for in his imagination.

Something began to form, but Shirou shook his head. _No, not quite there yet._

The details were skewed, fuzzy. Still, the more he worked at it, the more returned, almost as if the very action was drawing together the lost shards of his memory.

After a few more false starts...

"Projection complete."

...Shirou opened his eyes and looked at what he made.

-It was a photo. At first glance, it wouldn't look out of the ordinary except for its seemingly high-fidelity to reality.

The scene was a familiar setting, namely the Emiya household dining room. It was breakfast time, and the food had just been set on the table. Western style, the way Sakura had liked to make it at times. Toast, scrambled eggs. Some pancakes and orange juice.

Sitting around the table were three women. The three he had given everything up to try to save, who were saved... yet who he would never see.

Gazing at their smiling faces gave Shirou a sense of nostalgia and comfort as he reminisced about those times they shared, even if it was short.

Godou looked over from his seat and said, "Hm? Is that a photo, Shirou?"

Shirou nodded. "You could say that."

"Can I take a look?"

Shirou hesitated.

Godou saw that and said, "Oh, sorry. If it's private, you don't have to-"

"No. It's fine."

He passed it over to Godou.

_I can't keep clinging on to the past forever._ They wouldn't want him to. If anything, they would want him to live on. Live, and have the courage to step forward even without anyone at his side.

Godou passed the photo back.

Shirou took it and glanced at the scene one more time.

It was a picture of breakfast time. Rin, Ayako, and Sakura were sitting around the table, smiling and laughing. A picture of them all getting along, sharing a happy moment.

A scene that he never had and never would see, though one that might be happening right then and there back in that world.

Shirou allowed a soft smile to cross his face again before he put the photo away in his bag, though not before reinforcing it to make sure it didn't fade or get damaged any time soon.

"Who are they?"

Shirou blinked.

Godou was staring at him. "The three in the picture."

"Ah. They are..." Shirou paused, wondering how to phrase his words. "...They were very important people to me."

He left it at that.

"Were...?" Godou looked confused, and then said, "Oh."

Shirou nodded. "It's been a while since I saw their faces, so right now I just..." He gestured towards the photo. "...I'm glad that I haven't forgotten."

It was one of his greatest worries after fighting Caine. The aftermath of it had caused him to lose sight of his past, and he feared that he wouldn't be able to remember them. Thankfully, it seemed that he still could.

Godou looked like he didn't know what to say in response to that. Fortunately for him, he was saved from responding by the plane's speakers coming on.

"Passengers. We're happy to announce that we'll be landing shortly. Please be seated and fasten your seatbelts while we make our descent."

After that, the lights above the seats came on, showing the little display for passengers to fasten their seatbelts.

"Looks like we'll be landing soon," Godou said.

"Looks like it." Shirou nodded, but then remembered something. "Ah, I forgot to ask, Godou, but where exactly are we staying for this trip?"

Godou gave him a blank look. "Eh? Didn't Erica tell you?"

"...No. She just told us to meet her at the airport this morning and to remember to bring swimwear."

Godou sighed. "Some things don't change. You'd think she'd be a bit more serious after... well, I suppose that's part of why I like her, I guess." Godou shook his head. "Anyway, we're going to be staying at a villa in Sardinia that we rented. Ah, and we'll be staying with a few other friends as well. They should be at the airport when we land though, so I can introduce you to them then."

Shirou frowned. "Friends?"

"One's an old friend of my grandfather and the other's Erica's maid."

"Is there going to be an issue with me being-"

Godou shook his head. "You don't have to worry about that. We'll just say you're someone Erica wanted to recruit... or something."

Shirou was doubtful of Godou's plan. _If one's Erica's maid and the other if a friend of Godou's grandfather... well, I'm not sure about that friend of Godou's grandfather, but Erica's maid should be in the loop about the supernatural. _

It would be troublesome if word got out that he was the Eighth Campione. Well, nothing too terrible, but still annoying. _I can only hope that my Authority's working properly._

He sighed. _Well, flimsy excuses have worked for me in the past. Like the time Taiga was tricked into thinking the Grail War was an underground gaming tournament._

The plane speakers came on again and said, "Passengers, prepare for landing."

"Well," Shirou said. "Looks like we'll find out soon enough."

* * *

Departing from the plane was a relatively normal affair. There was the typical hustle and bustle of passengers and fliers going back and forth, but other than that nothing too out of the ordinary.

After grabbing their carry-on luggage and their other luggage, the group reconvened in front of the lobby.

Erica had dragged Godou and Yuri with her to have a private conversation, leaving Liliana with Shirou.

Thankfully, whether due to being in an area that was heavily packed or because she didn't want to draw too much attention to themselves from any possible watchers, she wasn't clinging to his arm like she usually did.

With time to spare, Shirou decided to take a look around their surroundings. _Huh. Looks like airports are pretty similar even in different countries._ There were the same types of stores, vending machines... even the layout was pretty similar. Probably the only thing that was different was the posters and advertisements strewn about.

Like that one about some concert by Emma Marrone being held in a few weeks.

Shirou blinked. _Hold on._ "...Liliana."

"Hm?" The silver-haired girl turned towards him and said, "What is it, Shirou?"

After taking another glance at the surrounding advertisements, Shirou said, "Do all airports have their signs and advertisements in Japanese?"

"Eh?" Liliana shook her head. "No, of course not. What would make you think that?"

Shirou frowned, focusing on the various signs and posters he could see. Yet, for the sake of him, he couldn't see them in anything other than Japanese. "Well, I'm pretty sure I don't know Italian, but I can read everything fine."

And it wasn't from him using structural grasping to get the 'concept' of the signs either. It just looked like everything was spelled out in Japanese.

"...Oh. Right. I must have forgotten to tell you. As a... well, as 'you' are now, you should be able to understand every language."

"Huh."

That would explain why English class had been so easy recently. He'd been wondering about that, considering his average ability in the area before arriving here.

"Ah." Liliana turned towards Erica and the others. "It looks like we'll be leaving now."

"Hm?" Shirou followed her gaze and saw that another person had joined Erica's group.

Black-haired, and possessing a warm smile, she didn't seem much different from a normal Japanese girl. And he would have thought that as well... except for the fact that she was wearing a maid uniform in broad daylight completely unashamed.

Shirou had a sudden flashback to Akihabara and the otaku culture of Japan. _...Actually, that's not uncommon now that I think about it._

He was broken out of his musings by Erica waving them over. Once they were in hearing distance, Erica said, "Emiya-san. This is Arianna. She's the one who'll be taking us to the rented villa."

Arianna gave a graceful bow and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Emiya-san." That done, she straightened and gave a quick glance at Erica. "It's rare for Lady Erica to invite friends over."

"Oh?"

Shirou glanced over at Erica and raised an eyebrow. _Didn't Godou say they would make an excuse about this?_

Seeing his gaze, Erica laughed and said, "Emiya-san has been a great help to us recently. Isn't that right, Godou?"

"Huh? Oh, er... right!" Godou quickly nodded. "He's been helping me out with... homework. Haha, that's right. My grades haven't been that good, you know?"

Shirou resisted the urge to palm his face and decided to go along with the story. "Yes. Though it is a bit excessive to invite me out on this trip just to thank me."

Liliana coughed and said, "Shouldn't we get going?"

"Oh? Lady Liliana is here as well? I'd heard from Karen that you might be coming, but I didn't think-"

"ANYWAY." Godou interrupted and said, "Let's go. We've been sitting on that plane too long already."

"Ah, yes." Arianna nodded. "Allow me to start the car..."

Godou blanched when he heard that.

Before Shirou could ask why, Godou quickly went up to him and muttered, "Prepare yourself. You too, Liliana-san."

Shirou brushed the warning off as nerves. _How bad could it be?_

A few moments later...

_I was so wrong._

Who could have imagined that such an innocent looking girl would be capable of such horrendous driving?

Even with a near indestructible body (at least from mundane items), Shirou hadn't been prepared to be thrown around the back of a limousine while they hurtled their way across Sardinia and to the villa.

Thankfully, the road trip from hell was over, and they had arrived.

Arianna dropped them off at the foot of the villa and drove the car up with their belongings to get their rooms ready ahead of time.

Now free from the car, as well as not having the scenery blur past, Shirou could finally get a clear look at their surroundings. "This is the place we're staying at for the trip?"

A beachside view with brilliant white sand and serene azure waters. That was coupled by a soft warm breeze carrying a slight hint of salt, yet not strong enough to be disturbing. It looked almost picturesque, a scene taken straight out of a movie.

And that was just the locale. The villa itself was practically a mansion. More than enough to fit at least a dozen people. It was also grand and opulent, exactly what one would expect out of aristocracy and not what average high schoolers would be able to afford for their summer vacation.

_Then again, I suppose we aren't ordinary high schoolers._

Shirou glanced at Godou to see his reaction to the setting.

Godou took a look around and sighed. "I know you said we were renting a villa, Erica. But isn't this a bit much?"

Erica smiled and grabbed Godou's arm. "For my king, how could this even be enough, let alone too much?"

Shirou was about to sigh upon seeing their actions when the quiet Yuri suddenly stomped up to the two love birds and said, "Godou-san! Erica-san! I have been patient and willingly enduring of your actions, but your shamelessness this time knows no bound!"

Erica raised an eyebrow and stepped back. "Oh? How so, Yuri?"

"Y-you know full well what I speak of! Not only are you two acting this way in front of Emiya-senpai, but in front of Liliana-san as well! And-"

This time Shirou did sigh. "Come on, Liliana." Shirou grabbed her hand and started walking up the path.

"Eh? EH?! Sh-shirou, what are you-, I mean I don't mind, but so suddenly-"

"They're going to be a while, and I don't know about you, but I'd like to be inside before the sun sets."

Shirou had already dealt with an obscenely long plane trip. That grated on his nerves, and his mood wasn't any better after recollecting the past with his projected picture. That, coupled with the reckless car drive here and now a dispute between two women and their man...

"There had better be a good kitchen in there. And ingredients. If there isn't..."

Liliana gave him a confused look as he practically dragged her with him, but Shirou ignored her.

This was a vacation. Time to relax. And the best way Shirou knew how to do that was cooking.

They arrived at the villa's entrance. An ornate looking door with gold leaf.

Shirou opened it and walked inside.

He idly noted the general layout, similar to Victorian homes. Staircases to the left and right leading up to a balcony overlooking the main room. Doors and corridors leading every which way. Lush furniture and antiques here and there.

"Oh?" A woman with long brown hair raised her eyebrow at his entrance. She had been laying on a lounge directly in front of the entrance and reading a newspaper when Shirou walked in. Her eyes grew wider as she saw him dragging Liliana behind him. "My oh my. Liliana. I didn't think that you had taken a-"

Shirou directly walked up to the woman and said, "Kitchen. Where is it?"

The woman blinked. "Eh? It should be on the right, about five doors down. But why-?"

Shirou gave her a quick nod in thanks and then turned and prepared to dash towards it when he remembered he was still holding on to Liliana's hand. "Right." Shirou turned towards her and said, "Go unpack... or something. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

That said, he dashed off, leaving behind a confused Lucretia Zola and Liliana.

Lucretia turned to Liliana and said, "Who was that? And why was he in such a rush to get to the kitchen?"

Liliana frowned. "That... is a complicated question." The silver-haired knight paused, mulling over how to respond to that question.

During that pause, a brief and feminine exclamation of surprise sounded out from the right. This was followed by the sound of a door slamming shut.

Another few moments later and a bemused Arianna joined the two women in the lobby.

Liliana sighed.

* * *

The clattering of cooking utensils. The whistling of steaming pots. The rhythmic chopping of a knife against a cutting board.

The kitchen was a cacophony of sound as Shirou went all out in his cooking and pulled out all the stops.

Though the villa itself might have been Victorian in its interior design, the kitchen itself was as modern as it could get. This played out in Shirou's favor, as it allowed him to completely vent his recent frustrations. Especially with the plethora of ingredients kept in the fridge.

"I'd almost forgotten how relaxing this could be." Shirou muttered as he put the finishing touches on a red velvet cake before turning his attention back to a pot of clam chowder on the stove.

It had been a while since he had completely cut loose like this in cooking. What with adjusting to finding himself in a new world and a lack of people to enjoy his efforts, he'd gone a long time since his last big cook off.

Shirou merrily hummed to himself as he stirred a pot of clam chowder.

As he did, he allowed his mind to wander.

Just what did he want to do on this trip?

It had been quite a long time since he had some time to relax. Now that he actually did, he found that he was actually at a bit of a lost on what to do.

Shirou frowned as he made a few rice balls and tuna sashimi.

_Just when was the last time I took a break?_

He had been in constant motion for most of his life. Training hard to meet his father's ideal. And after that, getting involved in the Grail War. Even in this world, he'd been constantly either studying, training, or working.

"...Huh."

He couldn't actually remember. There had been peaceful days, that much Shirou remembered. Spending time relaxing in the kitchen and talking to Sakura. Making jokes with Taiga when he was younger and her dragging him to various places.

But an actual extended vacation like this... he'd never gone on one, now that he thought about it.

_Is it okay to be doing this?_

His frown deepened as he pulled an apple pie out of the oven and dusted it with sugar.

Time was being wasted. He could stand a few hours, maybe even a day... and the idea of a break was nice, but now that he was in the midst of it, Shirou actually found that it wasn't what he thought it was.

There was a constant urge in him, telling him to move, to do _something_, that he couldn't just stand around and let time pass him by like this-

_Live, Shirou._

-And then he remembered their words.

Shirou sighed, a slight smile making its way to his face when he did. "Even now, you guys..." He shook his head and flipped over a pan seared steak.

It was fine. Even if he was wasting time like this, it was alright. As someone who'd been running towards an ideal all his life, now that he had finished that path, he shouldn't feel obligated to keep doing so.

Not that he had completely forsaken that ideal. No, Shirou still thought it was a beautiful thing to be able to save people and that he should do what he could, especially with his powers... but it wasn't as much of an instinct like it used to be so much as it was a desire. Something he valued and would do, but not something to be prioritized above his own self.

_And the ones who care about you._

Shirou nodded to himself as he began preparing the food to be brought to the dining area.

He couldn't be so reckless anymore. After all, there were people counting on him now. Liliana, the one who was determined to stand by him even if it risked her own life, even if it cost her life... and who was being extraordinarily affectionate recently for some strange reason.

Shirou shook his head as he placed some trays of food on a nearby trolley.

Anyway, Liliana was counting on him. And after her, Godou was counting on him too, the other Campione depending on him for guidance. Even that old Marquis to an extent... though mostly because his continued existence relied upon Shirou's well being.

...At least according to what he knew about his Authority.

_I should probably check up on that, actually._ He hadn't contacted Voban for a while, what with the recent events. He didn't think the guy could have caused too much trouble, but it would be good to make sure he hadn't.

In short, it was alright for him to do some relaxing. People were depending on him, and he couldn't help them to his best ability if he didn't take some time to decompress.

That, and there were people who wouldn't want to see him run himself ragged, both in this world and the last.

Shirou nodded. "Alright, I'll just go with the flow then. But first..." Shirou took a look at all the food he had made. "...I should probably get this out to the others before it gets cold. They should be back by now."

* * *

In the dining hall of the villa, the assembled guests on this trip to Italy were seated around a large round table. Above them, there was a glass chandelier, adding to the aristocratic setting of the villa. And before them was a wide assortment of foods, ranging from Italian pastas to Japanese sashimi and everything in between.

Godou and his companions were seated on one side of the table. Erica was directly to his right, whereas Yuri was to his left. The latter didn't seem too happy about the way Erica kept sidling up to Godou, but did seem happy about at least being in direct contact with Godou.

It was hard not to notice with the way her face went from anger to joy when she glanced at Godou.

The black-haired Campione looked a bit out of sorts, seemingly nervous at being seated between the two girls. Especially with the way both seemed to be trying to draw his attention.

Lucretia Zola, who Shirou had learned was the brown-haired woman he had seen upon entering the building, was seated next to Yuri and watching the scene with the eye of a middle-aged woman observing a soap opera.

...Which wasn't that far off from what Godou's life currently was.

Arianna was seated on Erica's right, as expected. She was also watching the scene, though her gaze looked to be more befuddled than anything else.

Now, opposite from the ongoing drama was Liliana and Shirou.

As if making a point to ignore the ridiculous scene occurring in front of her, Liliana was sipping some tea, eyes closed in enjoyment. Though, if one were to watch carefully, they would notice her occasionally glancing over at Shirou with a slight smile on her face, as well as her close proximity with him.

Shirou was doing much the same. Sipping tea, that is. He'd learned long ago that tea was an excellent means to ignore any potentially awkward situations. Thus, he made full use of that knowledge and took a long draught from his cup with every bit the air of an experienced tea drinker.

Liliana finished with her tea first, setting the cup down, and let out a sigh. "I didn't realize you were so skilled a cook, Shirou."

"Hm?" Shirou put his tea down as well. "Oh, right. I hadn't gotten a chance to cook for you yet." He'd forgotten about it with the recent events. That and Liliana hadn't really given him a chance to use the kitchen since her arrival as well.

"Your skills put my own to shame. And to think that I believed my culinary skills to be unmatched..." Liliana let out another sigh.

Shirou quickly waved his hands in front of him. "Your cooking is great Liliana. I've really enjoyed eating it. Really."

Liliana gave him a relieved smile. "Truly? You aren't saying that just to make me feel better?"

Shirou nodded. "Definitely not. Er, I mean that I'm definitely not saying that to make you feel better, though it would be great if it did. Ah, not that I meant to make you feel bad in the first place. It's just that it had been a while since I did some cooking, and now that I finally had the chance I-"

"Pft." Liliana covered her mouth, trying to hide a smile.

It wasn't fast enough for Shirou to miss it though. "Hey! I'm trying to be serious here. It's not funny."

Liliana shook her head. "Sorry. It's just... I've never seen this side of yours."

"Ahem."

A cough from the other side of the table drew Shirou's attention. He turned and realized that the others were staring directly at him and Liliana.

Godou blinked and said, "...He's good."

Erica nodded. "Indeed. Emiya-san seems to be even more skilled than our king in regards to the woman's heart, is he not, Yuri?"

Yuri nodded as well. "He's just like Godou-san. Ensnaring the hearts of women without even trying... just like him."

"Wha-?" Shirou flushed at the sudden united front faced against him. "I am not! I mean, just because- well, now that you mention it... hm."

Shirou recalled the past, and how he'd somehow gotten the attention of Sakura, his underclassman who came over to his house everyday to cook for him, Rin, the school idol, and Ayako, the captain of the archer club... and there was that Goddess recently too, wasn't there?

"Do you see?" Yuri said. "He is not denying it!"

"...It appears that he isn't." Erica looked towards Liliana. "It would appear our dear friend Liliana could have some competition in the future."

"Oh?" Lucretia raised an eyebrow and looked towards Liliana. "And why would that be? From my understanding of recent events, Liliana is the sworn knight of this Lord Weiss, is she not?"

The room suddenly got quiet.

"That's true," Arianna said. She looked towards Liliana and tilted her head. "Karen told me that Lady Liliana would be preoccupied for the time being with her new King. It's a bit odd that she's here with Lord Godou, isn't it?"

"T-that is..." Liliana flushed from being put on the spot. She glanced back at Shirou, a nervous look in her eyes.

Shirou frowned. _Should I tell them?_ Liliana looked really uncomfortable, and it was his fault that she was in this situation. Besides, it wasn't too big a deal. He'd initially gone with the disguise simply to have some modicum of normality to go back to, but it wasn't that important compared to not bringing more trouble to Liliana.

Just when Shirou was about to explain, Erica called out.

"Is it not obvious? Emiya-san is a personage of Lord Weiss, possessing extraordinary skills in his own right. Why, from my spar with him, I would even dare say that he could match Lord Salvatore Doni in the art of the sword."

Lucretia's eyes grew wide upon hearing those words and she looked at Shirou in a new light. "Is that so? You did say that Lord Kusanagi had forged an alliance with Lord Weiss."

Shirou mentally thanked Erica for her quick thinking.

"However, that still doesn't explain why the Fairy Knight is here. Even if this Emiya-san is one that Lord Weiss holds in high-esteem, it would be enough to send one or the other, would it not?" Lucretia frowned, as if mulling something over in her mind.

_Not good._ It looked like Lucretia wasn't buying that excuse. Shirou glanced at Erica to see what other tricks she had in store.

Erica caught his gaze and smiled, then glanced at Liliana. "Why it's simple. That's because Liliana-"

Before Erica could finish, Liliana jumped out of her seat and said, "It's because Shirou is the one I love!"

_...What?_

Godou echoed Shirou's thoughts and said, "What?"

Erica's smile turned into a wicked grin. "Oh my, Liliana. How bold."

"Sh-shut up, you evil devil!" Liliana blushed and was doing everything she could to avoid Shirou's gaze. "You were going to say it anyway! And I refuse to let your sharp tongue be the one to say my feelings!"

"Who, me?" Erica shook his head. "I'm shocked to learn you think so little of me, Liliana. I was merely going to say that Lord Weiss had sent you two so as to learn how to cooperate better, as you would do so often in the future."

"Wha-" Liliana took a step back, as if she was visibly struck. She also turned a deep red, a sight that seemed to stretch across her whole body.

"I had never imagined that you held such ardor towards our senior classman. Well, that's not true. It was hard to miss the look on your face after he rescued you on that night... and from the sudden change in your secret stories-"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Liliana tensed as if planning to lunge at Erica, but then she remembered that Shirou was right next to her and that they weren't the only ones in the room. When she did, she sat back down, an even deeper shade of red, and hid her face in her hands.

"Oh my," Lucretia said. "And here I thought that Lord Kusanagi's skill with woman were exceptional, having ensnared both the Crimson Devil and the number one Princess Priestess. But Emiya-san, to stir such passion from the normally stern Fairy Knight...truly exceptional."

"I..." Shirou was at a loss for words.

Liliana loved him? That... didn't make any sense. _I mean, all I did was save her from that evil guy's clutches, give her a place to stay, took her shopping, saved her life after she did mine... Oh._

Right. He was an idiot. What girl wouldn't fall for a guy after that stuff?

Shirou glanced at Liliana, unsure of how he felt at the current situation, let alone respond to Lucretia.

Godou took a huge bite out of some pasta and said, "THIS IS SOME GOOD FOOD YOU HAVE HERE, SHIROU!"

For a moment after his outburst, there were no sounds other than that of Godou's loud eating.

Erica was the first to recover and said, "Godou! Show some dignity!"

Yuri was the next. "That's right, Godou-san! You mustn't act like this! What would the world think if they saw you?"

Godou shrugged. "Who cares?! This food is awesome!" He took another bite and then turned towards Shirou with a thumbs up and said, "Compliments to the chef!"

Even if Shirou's cooking was good, it wasn't _that_ good. Obvious to everyone present, it seemed Godou was simply providing a distraction from the previous events.

But it was one Shirou was grateful for, especially when it made Liliana look up and laugh at Godou's ridiculous antics.

"You're welcome, Godou," Shirou said. He turned towards everyone else and said, "Come on everyone. The food's getting cold, and trust me when I say you'll regret it for not eating sooner."

Godou gave a wholehearted nod. "You guys don't know what you're missing out. This is really great food."

"Well," Lucretia said, "If both Lord Kusanagi and Emiya-san are saying it, it must be true. Let me try some of this alfredo- mm!" After taking a single bite, Lucretia's eyes grew wide. "...They're not lying. This is better than some of the five star restaurants I've been to!"

"Oh?" Erica raised an eyebrow. "I will be the judge of that." Like Lucretia, she took some of the alfredo. After taking a single bite, she turned towards Godou and said, "Godou. Never, ever break your ties with Em- er, Lord Weiss. If we can eat like this even once a moon..."

"Is it truly that good?" Yuri grabbed some sashimi and after taking a single bite had the same reaction as the others.

Arianna soon followed, and before long the previous events had all been forgotten in favor of Shirou's incredible culinary prowess... and his blatant cheating of using reinforcement on the materials to further accentuate the essence of each ingredient. But all was fair when it came to love and war... and cooking.

Seeing the others eating, Shirou decided to follow suit. Before long, Liliana eventually got around to doing the same, though it was halting at times, especially when she caught Shirou looking at her.

Shirou sighed. _This is going to be a long vacation..._

* * *

A/N: In the manner of Scott Cawthon, have an early release. Mostly just some slice of life, but hope you enjoyed it.

In any case, thanks for reading and leave a review on the way out if you want.

Until the next!


	14. To Italy: Salvatore Interrupt!

**To Italy: Salvatore Interrupt!**

After dinner, the group of vacationers parted ways for the evening. The sun was setting, providing a beautiful view out on the beach, which led to Erica dragging Godou and Yuri out to enjoy it. In contrast, Lucretia retreated to her room for some light reading, while Arianna gathered the plates and proceeded to clean up after their meal.

Shirou had wanted to protest Arianna's actions, but the latter remained steadfast in her refusal for a guest to perform her job any more than he already had.

With the majority of the other vacationers gone, and as a result leaving the dining room silent and far too spacious for them, the two remaining people changed venues.

Considering the recent chain of events, Shirou wanted a more private and comfortable location to discuss with Liliana and so had gone off with her to find one.

The parlor. It was a smaller room, only three or so mattresses across. In other words, an intimate sort of setting that was the perfect place for two people to sit and discuss. In terms of furnishing, there were a few paintings on the walls, chairs not out of place from the early 1900s, an old Steinway wall piano, as well as a small table with decorative curved trimmings that matched the rest of the decor.

Shirou took a seat at a chair before the table and poured himself a cup of tea from the kettle and plates he took from the dining room. Following that, he poured another and set it down at the sole unoccupied chair in front of him.

The silver-haired knight... no, at this time she was simply a young woman. She sat down on the remaining chair and pulled her cup of tea close to her, pointedly refusing to meet Shirou's eyes.

A pair of windows in the room provided light in the form of the setting sun's rays, painting the parlor in a tinge of orange. An almost perfect romantic setting. All that was missing were some scented candles.

Shirou pointedly fixed his stare out of the closest window and took a long drink from his cup of tea, pretending to admire the view.

The tea was delightful. Made from the fancy triangular tea bags and reinforced with magic to infuse as much of their essence into the water as possible, it was a wonderful and relaxing beverage. And it did nothing to dissolve the awkward tension in the room.

Shirou set down his cup of tea, having already held it for a period of time too long to be doing anything but pretending to drink from it, and let out a sigh.

_So... what now?_

Shirou glanced at the one sitting across from him.

Liliana caught his gaze and instantly looked out at the window, bringing her cup of tea up to her face so fast that it was a miracle none spilled.

Shirou let out a wry smile at the action, realizing that his own emotions and nerves were in just as much turmoil as her own.

Liliana was in love with him.

Shirou didn't know what to think about that.

Liliana was in love with him... and deeply enough that she had blurted out her feelings towards him at the dining room table. In front of everyone.

A small part of Shirou thought that it was far too early to be anything more than a passing infatuation. Then he remembered his own experiences with love and quickly tossed that thought aside.

Love and attraction had been born from less and in far shorter a time.

Shirou's problem then wasn't if Liliana was serious about her feelings. He knew enough about her now from the week or so they had lived together that she wasn't the type to cling on an idle infatuation. Nor was she the type to just blurt out her feelings at the slightest provocation.

That meant that Liliana had been keeping them bottled up for a while now, and they'd been entrenched far enough in her heart that she spoke them out at the slightest danger they might be callously revealed by Erica.

Shirou resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, instead settling on taking another sip from his tea and then observing Liliana.

She didn't meet his gaze, maintaining a fixed stare out the window, though by her reddening face Liliana knew she was being observed.

Shirou admitted that Liliana was attractive. Particularly at that time with her snowy skin tinged the slightest shade of red that could make any man want to hold her close, let alone with the scenic lighting in the room. However... _Do I love her?_

The big question. Love... was a large commitment. A two-way street. Liliana was a lovely young woman. Beautiful, the type that could cause men to stop and stare. Devoted, the type that would wait on your every word. Talented, the type that knew what would be the best way to finish the task at hand even before it was asked.

Again, Shirou would be lying if he said he wasn't attracted to her. But... _Can I love her?_

Love.

He hadn't thought about it at all since arriving in this world, especially after what he had gone through to get here. _How_ he had ended up here.

Giving up everything to save those who could not be saved. Creating a sword to ensure their survival and happiness.

How could he so easily forget the ones he left behind, let alone find room in his heart for another? _Should I love her?_

Liliana deserved someone who could treat her as the fair lady she was. Who could devote their all for her sake. Who would be willing to stand at her side and fend off the world itself.

That was what Shirou felt towards her. She was important enough to him and he was indebted enough to her that Shirou believed she should have at least that much.

Yet she loved _him_ and no one else, with a seeming depth in her feelings that could probably be written about in stories from the way she had acted, was still acting.

Shirou felt a headache, heartache. He couldn't promise her anything, couldn't give her anything. It wouldn't be fair to her or the ones he left behind. Not only that... but he was a walking disaster in both this world in the last.

Liliana's hands trembled, causing tea to spill somewhat. She turned a deeper shade of red and immediately set her cup down on the table before folding her hands on her lap.

Shirou realized that he had been staring too long and averted his gaze.

Love.

Shirou didn't know how he felt about it. Liliana was important to him, devoted to him, loved him. As for him-

_Protect her._

-He didn't know if he was simply indebted to her or if it was something more. And even then if it was something he should even allow. In the end, Shirou let out a sigh and said, "I'm sorry your feelings had to come out like that, Liliana."

Liliana flinched a bit, but quickly shook her head. "N-no, it's fine. I... you would have found out sooner or later."

_That's a lie._ Knowing Liliana's personality, she would have buried those feelings deep, hiding them as simple devotion to Shirou rather than affection. Even as dense as he could be at times, Shirou could tell that much. "Maybe, but... a girl's love confession is an important event to them isn't it?"

Liliana paused for a moment and then let out a long breath. "...So long as you have heard my feelings, I am content."

_Another lie._ Hearing her words, Shirou sighed again before saying, "Are you?"

Liliana clenched her hands, crumpling up her black skirt. "I... already know that I am not suited to be at your side, Shirou. Unlike Lord Kusanagi, you do not need someone to fight beside you."

That was true. In the fights Shirou would face in the future, battles against the gods and those that could slay the gods, Liliana wouldn't be of any help.

But that was only for the moment.

Shirou was sure he could come up with a way to circumvent that. With his abilities and capability to forge Divine Instruments, it was only a matter of time before he could equip Liliana with items that could allow her to fight beside him. _And why hadn't I thought about this before?_

A flaw.

Shirou had been so focused on himself, been so caught up in the idea of protecting her that he hadn't considered how she wanted to protect _him_, the way he had been protected before the end by those had loved._ All the more reason why I shouldn't love her._

To have not even considered Liliana's emotions in the manner...

It showed Shirou just how short-sighted he had been.

Liliana continued talking. "And so I believed I could aid you in other ways. Though seemingly worthless, I am confident in my ability to perform household chores such as cleaning and cooking. And yet now I learn that you do not require my aid in either of those as well."

Shirou could hear the disappointment in her voice. "Liliana, that's not true-"

"Shirou." Liliana spoke with a forceful tone. "Please, allow me to finish."

Shirou was quiet.

Liliana sighed, and then looked up at Shirou. Her blue eyes stared, glistening with unshed tears. "Shirou... no, Milord. You are a Campione. One who towers above all else in this mortal realm. One who can overturn even the natural order of events, defying the impossible to attain a miracle."

Shirou heard the awe in her voice, the sheer conviction she held. He didn't deserve it.

"You are a Campione, a King. Not only that, but I believe that Milord will rise to even greater heights, the likes of which I can never reach. Flying above and chasing distant horizons... I have already known that you will leave me far behind."

"Liliana." Shirou's voice was soft. _I... never thought that she felt that way._

The silver-haired young woman smiled, one that was bright and yet all too fragile. "Shirou. My King, Milord. You are so dazzling that I cannot help but be drawn to you. You are so kind that you would even consider the feelings of this lowly knight when you act. And you are considerate enough to allow me to follow you when you are more than able to stand alone."

Shirou couldn't say anything when faced with Liliana's words. _I don't deserve them._ He wasn't anything special. He wasn't as amazing as Liliana made him out to be. He wasn't the towering figure that existed in her mind... and he didn't deserve her feelings.

Liliana shook her head and said in a soft voice, "I know it. I already knew it. These feelings of mine... they would never come to fruition. I knew it, and yet when I believed Erica would reveal them to you..." She gave Shirou a small smile and said, "I suppose I couldn't hold them in any longer."

Heartfelt words, the voice of one who already knew her feelings would lead nowhere. Hearing those... Shirou felt his heart ache.

Liliana looked at him and said, "I just wonder if you- no, it's fine. You don't need to say anything, Shirou- no, Milord. It's enough that I was able to convey my feelings to you. Th-there's... no need to b-be concerned with them anymore. I... assure you that-"

"Liliana," Shirou said.

The knight froze. Her hands were still clutched tightly around her skirt. For a brief moment, there was a hint of hope in her eyes.

It physically hurt Shirou to realize that he would have to crush it, but he eventually said, "I... can't give you an answer right now."

The hope instantly vanished from her eyes, replaced with a frosty facade. The calm visage of a knight.

...One that Shirou knew was a facade.

Liliana gave him a curt nod. "I understand, Milord. Then, if you will excuse me-" She stood from her seat and abruptly turned around. But before she left-

"Hold on. I'm not finished."

-Shirou's words stopped her in her tracks. "...Milord?"

Liliana's voice was tentative, fragile. Carrying a hint of hope, yet realizing there wasn't much to be had.

Shirou sighed and said, "To be honest, I'm... not that good with these kinds of things. The last time someone told me that they loved me..."

_Static. _A brilliant sunset and a gust of wind, blinding him as _she_ vanished back to her time. _Static._

Everyone he loved falling one after another at the hands of Angra Mainyu. Shirou giving his all to save them, even if he could never see them again.

"...it didn't work out. I'm just... I don't know if..." Shirou trailed off, unable to say anymore words.

After hearing Liliana out, who wouldn't be moved by her words?

Not only that, but for Shirou... he would be lying if he said he didn't already care for her somewhat. And for some reason, he wasn't able to say that he didn't love her and refuse her feelings. ...As if, somewhere in some small part of him, Liliana had already taken her place.

The brilliant, devoted, beautiful young woman before him... she was already a constant in his life without him realizing it.

-But, there was still too much Shirou held on to. Too much to just set aside and start again.

Yet...

Shirou sighed and said, "One week."

Liliana tensed, trembling upon hearing his words. As if she couldn't dare to believe them.

"One week," Shirou said. "When we head back from this trip, I'll properly answer your feelings."

She turned around. A trail of tears were on her cheeks, showing how sorrowful she had been. The sight of a maiden who had been forsaken in love. And yet now there was a trace of hope. "Then... you mean...?"

"I would be lying if I didn't care for you, Liliana. As for love... well, I'll figure it out on this trip, I suppose."

A brilliant smile crossed Liliana's face, one that took Shirou's breath away.

"Thank you," Liliana said. "Then... in the time we have before then... I will do my best to show you my sincerity." Those words spoken, Liliana walked away, likely to spend some time by herself to go over what had just happened.

Shirou looked down at the table and stared at the tea remaining inside his cup.

It was dark now, night falling sometime during their discussion. The moon could be seen in the sky, cast beneath the twinkling stars.

"...Love, huh?" Shirou frowned, reminscing upon the last time someone spoke those words to him. "This time at least... no." Shirou shook his head. "It won't end like last time."

An enemy he could not defeat. An almighty opponent who dealt their deaths as easily as breathing upon the realization Shirou could not be touched.

"It won't end like last time." Shirou repeated the words once again, steel in his voice. "I won't allow it."

His words echoed, containing his conviction.

Shirou got out of his seat, leaving the empty parlor behind.

* * *

The villa was empty, quiet. With nightfall, the lights had been turned on, providing a soft and warm ambience through the antique lamps. Godou and his two loves were yet to return, Liliana was in her room, and both Lucretia and Arianna were no where to be seen.

Shirou contemplated returning to his room to sleep, or to work on creating the equipment that could allow Liliana to fight beside him... but he found himself unable to concentrate, the matters he discussed with Liliana still hanging heavy on his mind. And so as to distract him and perhaps allow him to settle his thoughts, Shirou decided to take a walk outside.

Through the front door, down the driveway, across where sand turned into dirt.

Without realizing it, Shirou managed to walk some distance away from the villa and ended up in a forested area.

By this point, the moon was high in the sky. A brilliant white disk against the back drop of the infinite stars. Quiet, with only the ambient noise of crickets and other bugs filling the silence.

For a while, Shirou simply stood there, taking in the calming setting and allowing himself to relax.

"Yo."

Shirou turned towards the voice, swords already armed in his mind.

The speaker was a blond young man, about the same age as Shirou. He was dressed in casual clothing, an open dress shirt and hawaii shorts. In fact, he looked more dressed the part to vacation here in Italy than Shirou did, except for the strange package the man had slung over his shoulder.

Shirou quickly took in those cursory details... and then realized the subtle hint of power beneath it. The same that he felt from Voban, and that he somewhat felt from Godou. "...Who are you?"

"You know," the blond said. "I had been planning on going another round with Godou to see how much he's leveled up, but when Lucretia told me that there was a person around here who might be a match for me in terms of swordsmanship... how could I pass that up?"

Shirou frowned. _Match him in terms of swordsmanship?_ Shirou thought for a bit before a name came to mind. "Lord Salvatore Doni."

Doni grinned, revealing a bright smile. "The one and same. Now, how about we have a few rounds?" He threw the package into the air and in doing so revealed its contents. A long sword, plain and unadorned. European style. Doni plucked it out from the air and pointed it at Shirou. "On guard."

Shirou felt an imminent sense of danger and immediately traced a pair of blades. Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands, the black curved sword in his left with its white counterpart in his right.

It was just in time. Doni lunged towards Shirou with a stab aimed towards his heart, moving faster than Erica had in their spar. Still within human reach, but the perfection of the technique's execution would have had even the best swordsman hardpressed to parry, appearing only as a transient silver dot.

The borrowed memories in the swords from experiencing countless other similar attacks allowed Shirou to parry.

Kanshou knocked Doni's sword to the side.

Without missing a beat, Shirou stepped forward and swung Bakuya up to slash at Doni, the attack seeming like a flash of moonlight in the darkness.

Yet, Doni easily dodged out of the way, retreating back a few paces out of reach. The Italian Campione eyed the pair of married blades and said, "That's some pretty neat magic you've got there to make swords out of thin air. Pretty good skill too, blocking my attack like that."

Shirou didn't say anything, instead settling back into the stance that became the trademark of EMIYA in his countless battles.

"No comment, huh?" Doni shrugged. "Well it's been awhile since I've had a good sword fight. Don't disappoint now." The instant Doni finished saying that, he kicked off the ground sending a spray of dirt flying into the air. At the same time, his sword swung out. A seemingly casual attack, but one carrying with it a sort of indomitable sword intent.

Shirou swung Kanshou to parry, at the same time preparing to counter with Bakuya.

_Clang._ The sound of steel on steel resounded through the forest. At the same time, a slight cracking could be heard as Kanshou splintered and broke from Doni's attack.

Shirou narrowed his eyes and repaired it, mentally revising his opponent's capabilities. _He's strong. _A single attack was able to shatter Kanshou. It was a weakened Noble Phantasm, hollow mimicries of a mimicry, but it should have been beyond the level of any normal enchanted sword.

Yet Doni had managed to damage it.

It wasn't because of the blade, Shirou realized, but rather Doni's perfect technique. It was similar to something Shirou himself knew how to do. By directly and consecutively striking at the weakest point in a sword, provided it wasn't unbreakable, it would break.

Normally, it would take a few strikes... but Doni had done it in two.

Shirou instantly compiled that information about Doni and then attacked with Bakuya, probing the Italian Campione's reaction once more.

Doni simply swung his blade and Bakuya also shattered. Immediately following that, Doni stepped in with a horizontal slash. All of it was done in a single fluid motion, without the slightest bit of strain on his face.

Shirou repaired Bakuya and then reinforced both of his swords.

It wouldn't prevent Doni from breaking them, but it would at least allow the blades to last more than a few strikes.

With that done, Shirou jumped into the air, avoiding Doni's attack, and then swung both his blades in a cross at Doni's head.

A staccato of clangs resounded as Doni parried both attacks and then even surpassed them to return one of his own.

Shirou's eyes grew wide and he threw both his blades, gaining the little bit of momentum needed to avoid the attack.

Doni missed, forced to parry Shirou's thrown blades. However, the delay between his parry and advancing for another attack was only a fraction of a second. If he was surprised from Shirou's unexpected and seemingly reckless move, he didn't show it. The only change in his demeanor was the competitive glean appearing in the Italian Campione's eyes.

Shirou landed on the ground a few paces away, immediately projecting another pair of Kanshou and Bakuya while reinforcing them enough to defend against Doni's onslaught. _This guy... he's really just as unreasonable as everyone said._

Showing up to fight him and attacking without so much as a warning beyond telling him to be on his guard. Not even considering that Shirou could have been unable to compete and directly attacking with lethal blows.

Shirou cut his thoughts short to parry Doni's attack. Again, Kanshou clashed with Doni's steel sword and Bakuya swept in to claim the blond's neck.

Again, Doni parried before coming in with his own attack.

-Impossible skill. Shirou managed to hold off Doni's attacks, but he had to grudgingly admit that Erica hadn't been boasting when she said Shirou 'could be considered a match' for Doni instead of simply being his peer. The Italian Campione was impossibly skilled with the sword.

Attack flowed into attack, almost as if time itself were holding audience to his moves with how soon each attack occurred after the other. An endless stream of sword blows that, to an ordinary person's eye, would have seemed to be a single simultaneous attack.

Yet, despite the attacks, Shirou was able to hold them off.

Bakuya parried a diagonal slash, only for Doni to immediately step back with a horizontal slash. Kanshou parried that blow, and Bakuya swung forward at Doni. Yet, like Shirou had blocked Doni's attack, Doni easily blocked Shirou's, even managing to send Bakuya flying.

The exchange of attacks occurred over a dozen more times before the two leapt back simultaneously, observing each other.

Doni was the first to speak. "...You're quite good, aren't you?"

"I could say the same to you." Shirou said.

"Hm... I don't suppose you would mind telling me your name?" Doni said.

Shirou raised his swords and said, "...Why don't you beat me first?"

An arrogant stance. Shirou wasn't one to normally act that way, but something about Doni rubbed him the wrong way. It wasn't so much the man personally, but rather... his sword style? His sword itself? Either way, there was something about Doni that Shirou couldn't reconcile with.

"Hoh?" Doni raised an eyebrow and flashed a white smile. "Confident, aren't we? But... alright." Doni let out a long breath and narrowed his eyes. "Try not to die." With those words, Doni lunged forwards, his sword lashing out in a thrust that could rival the speed of lightning.

Shirou saw through it, and swung Kanshou to meet the blow.

_Shatter._

The projected sword shattered without delaying Doni's attack in the slightest. The blond smiled at that and continued advancing, blade aimed towards Shirou's heart.

He would be too slow to parry in attempting to project another sword, so Shirou brought up Bakuya to try and do what Kanshou couldn't. At the same time, he reinforced his body, making sure not to have his hair change color, and then slashed with the white curved sword.

Steel clashed, and both Campione were sent back a few paces.

"...You're definitely not an ordinary knight or swordsman, are you?" Doni stared at Shirou with a sharp gaze. "There was no way an ordinary person could have repelled my attack like that. Even the great knights I've sparred with instantly fell to that attack."

"I could say the same to you." Shirou projected Kanshou again. "Not many can shatter my swords so easily."

"Interesting. Well, the warm up's over. Since it doesn't look like you'll be dying anytime soon, let's make this a bit more fun, why don't we?" Doni raised his sword to the sky and grinned before saying, "I hereby declare. There is nothing my sword cannot cut."

A flash of silver, illuminated by the moon. When Doni finished his words, the steel seemed to have spilled down through his sword and into his arm.

It was odd, but not unexpected. As a Campione, Doni was bound to have some strange abilities inherited from those he'd slain.

Shirou narrowed his eyes, seeing if he could analyze the source of this power. It took only a moment, with the fact that the Authority was so closely connected to swords.

"An unstoppable blade, huh?" Shirou muttered.

Doni smiled. "So you can see through even this? Interesting. Really interesting... well, let's see how you deal with it!"

The Italian Campione charged forward again, only this time instead of a straight charge, he seemed to leave after images behind, flitting from place to place like moonlight upon falling leaves.

Danger. Shirou had almost no time to react before Doni was before him, swinging his sword at a steep angle almost out of Shirou's view.

Shirou brought Kanshou and Bakuya to parry, only to have both swords instantly cut through. Still, it did enough to cause Doni's attack to leave only a grazing blow on Shirou.

The blond didn't let up on his attack, already thrusting his sword towards Shirou's heart.

_This won't work._ He was fighting like Archer would have, borrowing his style to defend against Doni. It was meant to fight superior opponents after all, trapping them and allowing him to take advantage of his inferiority to survive.

...Unfortunately, it did next to nothing against someone who could simply cut through his defense.

_Then... I'll use 'that'. _Shirou projected a pair of simple steel swords and launched them at Doni.

Like Kanshou and Bakuya, they were easily cut apart by Doni's Rippling Steel Arm, but it was enough.

Durandal and Red Punishment appeared in Shirou's hands, the peerless sword in his left while the Divine Instrument was in his right. Once more, Shirou was using a dual sword style, but this one was different.

Doni must have noticed as well, since his attack slowed somewhat, showing a hint of caution.

"HAH!" Shirou stepped forward and swung his blades, and in doing so caused them to be wreathed with azure light.

A horizontal slash from left to right by Red Punishment.

A clang resounded as it was parried.

Shirou didn't stop, stepping in with an uppercut from Durandal.

Doni stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding Shirou's attack.

But Shirou wasn't finished. He spun twice, swinging both swords around towards Doni in a successive pair of horizontal slashes.

More clangs resounded as their blades clashed. At the same time, Doni's eyes narrowed, the calm demeanor replaced with a steely focus.

Shirou slashed down with both swords in an 'X' before doing a mirrored upwards slash.

A staccato of steel notes resounded as Doni swung his sword to parry every strike.

Shirou continued with his combo, moving faster and faster with every attack.

Two parallel diagonal slashes. A reverse-gripped downward x-slash. A pair of uppercuts where Shirou shifted his grip on the swords into a forward grip. Down, up. Diagonal, spin. Uppercut, downward vertical, forward thrust with the right sword and then forward lunge with the left.

An endless stream of attacks that were as unstoppable as a shooting star. Even though Doni's Rippling Silver Arm should allow him to cut through anything, it was unable to deny Shirou's attacks.

Doni swung his sword with blinding speed, appearing to be nothing more than a silver streak as he parried the attacks.

Sixteen consecutive attacks were performed in an instant. Sixteen consecutive steel notes resounded as steel clashed. Sixteen attacks seeming to carry with them the weight of the world, and the last carving a thin line against Doni's left side.

The Italian Campione leapt back five meters and then stared at Shirou. "...Who are you?"

"Just a simple high school student."

"Yeah right. Someone as good with a sword like you can't be a simple high school student. Even half of that attack could have killed a god." Doni narrowed his eyes. "So, who are you? And why are you here with Godou?"

"...Like I said, I'll tell you if you beat me."

Doni laughed. "Fine. We'll do this the hard way then." Doni lowered his sword arm to the side. It was a stance that wasn't a stance, one where his sword was hanging loose at his side as if it didn't matter.

However, Shirou wasn't fooled by it. The stance wasn't a stance, and yet it carried with it a tremendous sword intent, one that Shirou felt would sever time and space itself if Doni so desired.

"To have pushed me to this point... no one's ever done it. Even that old Voban hasn't gotten me this far, but you... Well, let's see if you can survive. Block this and I'll even beg to be your student." Doni finished with a slight smirk on his face, but then it instantly smoothed away as his eyes narrowed. At the same time, the metallic creep on his arm spread throughout his whole body.

Shirou didn't say anything. Instead, he focused. He didn't know what Doni had planned. However, he did know that it was something he had to take seriously.

A killing blow for a killing blow. Shirou had to use his strongest attack in order to even hope of surviving, let alone beating him. However, it would only be a single slash. He had to use something that could defy an absolute and unstoppable sword slash.

Almost immediately, Shirou found himself settling into a steely calm.

_Judging the concept of creation._

He needed something that could contend with Doni's sword. A blade... no, an attack that would withstand it.

_Hypothesizing the basic structure._

Running through all the swords he knew, the only one that Shirou could recall doing something like that was Durandal. An unbreakable blade granted upon Roland by angels and carrying with it three miracles... two now that Shirou had used one.

_Imitating the skill of its making._

It was something that he had to use, but it wouldn't be enough. He needed an attack, a powerful blow that would be able to stand up to Doni's.

_Reproducing the accumulated experience._

The memory of a swordsman garbed in black. Of his unyielding manner that seemed to assure victory. Of being able to stand against the world itself and force it to yield to his will. Of the bonds that surpassed reality to connect those that would otherwise have never met.

_Excelling all manufacturing processes._

Shirou could still recall the way he fought. The calm manner in which his swords moved through the air, as if threading a needle. The unyielding sword slashes that seemed to defy reality itself, carrying a weight with each slash that even the world was forced to acknowledge.

_Bind the illusion into a blade._

Shirou stepped forward, Red Punishment vanishing to be replaced with Durandal in his right hand. Like Doni, he took a casual stance, Durandal held loosely at his side.

The two Campione stepped forward at the same time.

Doni swung his sword up. A simple vertical slash, yet one that sent the air screaming as it seemed to carry the unstoppable intent of splitting apart heaven and earth.

Shirou neither took a step back or retreated. Instead, he began his own attack. Like Doni's, it was simple. A horizontal slash that any amateur could have performed... yet one carrying an unyielding will that would stand against reality itself.

Ordinary attacks embodying extraordinary natures.

Doni's was a slash that threatened to sever all heaven and earth, an unstoppable sword intent carried within it.

In contrast, Shirou's was a slash that cut across the horizon, seemingly carrying the weight of the world- no, of existence. An unyielding attack from steel that would stand unweathered, even beneath the infinite stress of eternity.

The two swords clashed and time and space _twisted_. The air shuddered, space broke, and enough energy to destroy the island twice over was unleashed. Yet, due to the contrasting natures of the attacks, they were contained. Absolute severance met eternal resistance, and in doing so nullified each other.

Doni leapt back, his sword cracked and his arm split apart in various places, even with his Body of Steel Authority.

Shirou leapt back as well, his own sword unscathed. However, like Doni, his arm was burst open, revealing his own body of steel as interlocking blades worked to close the gaping wounds.

The two faced off for a few moments in silence before Doni said, "Well, a promise is a promise." He quickly got to his knees and bowed his head. "This disciple greets his teacher."

Shirou blinked. _Wait, he was being serious about that? _Seeing the way Doni was acting, Shirou suddenly had a flashback to Erica mentioning Doni's eccentric nature and he let out a sigh.

Misunderstanding Shirou's actions, Doni raised his head and said, "Did I do it wrong? I thought this was how you performed the act in the east... unless you want me to do something else?"

"Ah, no. You did it right. It's just that this..."

To be honest, Shirou hadn't thought it through that much. After all, there had been hardly any time at all for him to think between Doni showing up by surprise and suddenly attacking him.

Thankfully, Shirou was saved from his actions by the appearance of Liliana.

"Shirou? Are you out here? I heard from Miss Zola that- Eh?" She looked at Doni with wide eyes, especially after seeing him on the ground. "Lord Salvatore? What are you doing here?"

"Fancy seeing you here, Kranjcar." Doni waved his hand in greeting. "And here I was thinking you would be with your new king. Lord Ice or something, right?"

"It's Lord Weiss." Liliana replied almost automatically before blushing. "A-and just because I'm under his service doesn't mean I can't be here too."

"Mm, is that so? Must be a pretty chill guy then." Doni nodded, still on his knees.

Shirou resisted the urge to palm his face at Doni's lame puns.

"...Right." Liliana turned towards Shirou and said, "Why is Lord Salvatore kneeling on the ground before you? ...And why are you both injured?"

Shirou sighed. "Well..."

"It's because I finally met my match. To think that there was a hidden tiger like this in Italy... it's almost amazing." Doni smiled. "So I've decided to take him as my Teacher."

Liliana blinked. "...What?"

Shirou sighed again, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. "It's... complicated. And you can get up now Lord Salvatore."

"Just Doni's fine, Teacher. After all, you're much better than me. I might be a Campione, but I have my pride as well, and I definitely won't have you stand on formalities like that."

"Right. So... this bit about being your teacher... were you being serious about that?"

Doni instantly nodded. "Of course. My whole life has been dedicated to the sword. And now that I've met someone who's even further along the path than I am... how could I not ask you for guidance?"

This time Shirou did pinch the bridge of his nose. "Well, that's-"

Before he could answer, a shining golden light shone in the distance.

Shirou immediately identified it as the same Godou had used to fight Caine.

"Shirou," Liliana said. "Isn't that-?"

"Godou? Yes, it looks like it." Shirou frowned. "But who's he fighting?"

There hadn't been any strong presences that Shirou sensed. Then again, it seemed that his detection skills recently weren't acting as they should be so it was possible he had missed it. Still-

Liliana turned towards Shirou and said, "Should we go see if he needs aid?"

Shirou let out a sigh. _First Liliana, then Doni, and now this... I never catch a break, do I?_

It was only the first night of the trip to Italy. A full day hadn't even passed before trouble came knocking at the door. Almost literally from the way Doni had learned about Shirou.

"Well, let's head back for now then. Come on Doni, Liliana. Hopefully it's nothing too serious..."

Nothing too serious... which required the usage of Godou's full powers?

_Sometimes I really wonder if it's my bad luck or if Fate's got it out for me..._

* * *

A/N: First part of the hulking chapter I somehow managed to create in the span of... a day? Two? Either way, I'm about as surprised as you are for how much I wrote.

Quite a large part of the fight was inspired by some stories I read at Wuxiaworld. Try not to take the over the top action too seriously, but more like... dramatic text flavoring? If I do decide to make them relevant to the story, I'll point it out again sometime.

On a side note, who wants to count how many death flags have been raised in the past few chapters? Hahahaha...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a review if you did, and I'll see you later for now.

Until the next!


	15. To Italy: Incarnation of Victory

**To Italy: Incarnation of Victory**

Night time. After dragging him around on the beach and doing some reconciling about their feelings, Erica and Yuri had gone off on their own, saying something about relaxing in the hot springs.

To avoid thinking about the fact that the two girls he cared for very much and found really attractive would be lazing around naked in hot and steamy water, Godou did the sensible thing and took a walk on the beach to let the night air clear his head.

Silent, with only the ebbing tide as ambience. The moon shone from above, casting out a pale light. Overall, with the starry skies and pitch black water spraying against the pure white shore, the entire place contained an ethereal atmosphere.

A beautiful sight, one that made Godou appreciate the beauty of Italy a bit more. ...And feel slightly regretful for destroying a piece of its cultural heritage a while back in his fight against Erica.

For a while, there was nothing more than the sound of soft footsteps and the quiet whisper of the ocean waves seeping against the shore.

Calming, and with the cool spray of mist from the waves that Godou felt, it was just what he needed to forget about Erica and Yuri's current actions. But it was perhaps too calming, as he found his mind drifting towards other topics.

Erica and Yuri... they both loved him. At the same time, they didn't get along too well... though that might be due to their personalities. Erica was amorous in her affections, not caring in the slightest who was watching, while Yuri was more reserved, preferring a quiet evening together in each other's company rather than public displays of affection.

Godou frowned, remembering that fact.

It was the primary source of contention between the two. Yuri was of the opinion that doing so demeaned Godou's role as a king while Erica insisted that a king should feel free to do what he wanted, regardless of who was watching.

Many an argument was had both up the way to the villa as well as on the beach.

Thankfully, Godou had managed to convince Yuri that Erica was simply doing her best, as well as convince Erica that some of her more... touchy displays of affection could be saved for private settings.

A slight compromise, but one that cooled the tempers on both sides. Which led to them heading to the hot springs and having some 'bonding time' as Erica insisted on calling it.

A flash of pale skin and crimson lips-

"Gah, what am I thinking?!" Godou ran over to the water's edge and dunked his head in it. The cold and saltiness in his eyes managed to simmer down his overactive imagination. Once he was completely calm, Godou shook his head to get dry his hair somewhat before resuming his walk.

A thought came to his mind then of Shirou's own love woes and how Liliana had confessed her feelings for him.

Godou smiled when he remembered that, the sort of expression that came about from realizing you weren't alone in your suffering. _I wonder how that went? _He'd left before seeing how Shirou managed to resolve the situation, but he hoped that things worked out well between the two.

Shirou... since the first time Godou met him, the younger Campione had felt his upperclassman was lonely. No, not quite lonely but... lonesome. Completely alone and standing in a world apart from everyone else.

And while Shirou might not have noticed it, since meeting Liliana, the older Campione had become more lively.

Godou remembered the picture that Shirou had shown him on the plane, as well as the forlorn look of longing his upperclassman had given it. How he had said they were important people to him before correcting himself to say that they _were_ important people to him.

Shirou... there wasn't much known about him. From what Erica said of her findings, all that was really known was that he had once been involved in an accident and been adopted by freelance mercenary who eventually died of an illness, leaving Shirou all alone. How he became a Campione, how long he had been a Campione... even how he knew magic. Those were mysteries that only Shirou knew. Untold burdens that he seemed unwilling to share.

Godou hoped that Liliana would help him with that. He wasn't too familiar with the silver-haired knight outside of their few interactions, but there was no missing the look in her eyes when she stared at Shirou.

Really, it was actually amazing how it took her blurting it out for Shirou to realize it.

A smile came to Godou's face as he remembered that, as well as how ridiculous he had been in trying to force a change of subject. But if it would help the guy who had done so much for him...

"It would appear you are in a good mood tonight, Kusanagi Godou."

Godou's smile dropped.

It was a female voice that called out to him. One he hadn't heard in a while.

_That voice... isn't that...? _Godou had his suspicions about the owner of the voice, and they were confirmed when he turned towards who called out.

A woman was walking across the inky water towards him, seemingly defying the effects of gravity. She was beautiful beyond measure, the level where entire kingdoms would be ruined in their attempts to please her. Long silver hair streamed out behind her as she advanced, wisps appearing like traces of moonlight spun into threads and kept in order beneath an elegant golden laurel wreath. The woman's eyes, the color of precious amethysts, shone as they focused on Godou.

"Athena," Godou said. "What are you doing here?"

The Goddess smiled at him, an expression that amplified her otherworldly grace and accentuated with her pure white gown. "I had said it before, Kusanagi Godou. You are my fated opponent. And now that I have recovered my powers..." Athena waved her right arm, causing a surge of darkness to coalesce into a scythe. "...It is time for us to do battle once more."

Godou quickly went over the situation. _Alright. So Athena wants a fight. Erica and Yuri... if they knew about this, they would want to jump in and help. If Shirou knew, he'd do the same. _

The logical sequence here would be to head back to the villa and alert the others. Even if Athena had helped him when Caine had appeared, the fact remained that she was a Goddess who wanted to fight him, and would have no qualms about killing him at all if she had the chance. Especially with how their last battle ended.

Godou should make a tactical retreat and get reinforcements. That was the rational thing to do. And yet...

"...Alright. But not here."

...how could he keep hiding behind other people and let them fight his battles for him?

Doing so had led Erica to her doom. Doing so had left him barely able to save Yuri in time. And continuing to do so would leave him incapable of protecting the ones he loved in the future.

Athena considered Godou's words before nodding. "Yes, for a battle such as ours a different setting would be best. Then... come with me." The Goddess held out her hand, all the while darkness swirled around her.

Godou didn't hesitate, stepping forward and grabbing her hand.

The world became shrouded in darkness. A cold, ever-present creep that seemed to drain at one's soul, tugging away at life itself. But it didn't last long, fading away to reveal a forest clearing.

Godou could still see the villa in the distance, and in doing so recognized this place as on the island directly across the villa's shoreline. Far enough for the two to be undisturbed as they went all out.

Athena took a step back, releasing Godou's hand as she did so, and then said, "Shall we begin?"

Godou glanced around. Trees, darkness... and he was all alone. There would be no one here to save him, no Erica to help him take down Athena like last time, and no Shirou to come and take over for him like he had when he fought Voban. This time, he would be truly all alone. But even if that was true, he felt no fear.

Instead of fear, there was only anticipation. Exhilaration.

This would be Godou's first fight where life or death was placed solely in his hands, where he would live or die based on his own powers and nobody else's. Knowing that, Godou couldn't help the grin spreading to his face while he activated his Authorities. "As the one who holds all victory in my hands, I am the strongest. I am gallant, all evildoers trembling before my strength, and those that are evil will not be able to touch me!"

Power surged, energy that seemed to defy all expectations. With those words, the Bull, the Camel, and the Raptor were activated simultaneously.

Godou's body rippled with unbridled strength and might. His body was lighter than air, yet contained the strength to crush mountains. And with every wound he took, every damage inflicted upon his body, he would only grow ever stronger.

-A secret. Until that point, there had been no one else who knew of this combination save for Shirou, who had been told on the plane ride. Or rather, there shouldn't have been.

Athena saw Godou's actions and matched his grin with one of her own. If anything, rather than surprising her, his advanced usage of his powers only served to excite the Goddess. "Come, Kusanagi Godou! Prove to me that you are the one worthy of facing my full strength!"

Godou charged, his hand reaching out to grab at a sword that didn't exist.

-It was strange. As if, by instinct, he knew it would be there. The promise of _victory_ already beckoning at him.

Athena met his charge with one of her own. Moving at godspeed, she raised her scythe and swung down, planning to reap Godou's head.

With no weapon of his own, even while his Authorities were active, Godou should have been cut down where he stood.

However, instead of blood splattering to the ground, metal screeched.

Twisting his body, Godou swung his hand out at the scythe. At first, there was nothing and the action appeared foolhardy, delusional. Yet, in the moment before Godou would be killed, a sword that glowed with golden light appeared, allowing him to parry the blow.

Athena narrowed her eyes for a moment at the sword before letting out a smile. "So you still recall how to use it! Wonderful!"

_Of course I remember. _

How could he forget? The events in which he had first used the Warrior in that manner were burned irrevocably in his soul. How he had failed to save Erica. How he wanted to cleave reality itself apart and overturn the natural order to return her soul...

Godou charged, the golden sword of the Warrior in his right hand.

-If he had stopped to look at it, he would probably have noticed that it was vastly different from the one he was used to. Instead of pure gold, the sword was a pristine steel blade that shone a golden light. More sacred than beautiful, more splendid than fine. It was a blade that seemed to promise victory. ...A blade that should not exist.

"Hah!" Godou swung his sword at Athena, aiming for her neck. An attack so fast it appeared to be nothing more than a streak of golden light.

The sound of clashing steel. Athena smiled, easily keeping Godou's sword at bay with her superior reach. "You will not win so easily this time, Kusanagi Godou!"

"I didn't plan to!" Godou kicked off the ground, taking advantage of his increased leg strength, and flew into the air, twisting around in a flip to slash at Athena's head.

The acrobatic maneuver caught the Goddess off guard, but it wasn't enough to land a blow. Darkness gathered from the night and formed into a shield around her, one transparent and yet sturdy enough to withstand Godou's blow. From within this shield, Athena observed the blade with narrowed eyes. "This sword... it is not the same as the one that you used in the last time we fought, is it?"

Godou flipped back, kicking off Athena's shield, and swung his sword behind him, ready to take on any attack that followed.

-It was true. The Warrior authority that Godou possessed seemed to have changed since the time he fought Caine. For one, he could call out the blade without needing to know anything about the God he fought now. For another, it seemed to possess a power all on its own, one that was no longer able to sever the divinities of Heretic Gods, but one that seemed to be able to bypass them regardless through sheer power once activated.

"Does it matter?" Godou eyed the surroundings.

The exchange had been brief, but the trees around them were already heavily scarred from the exchange. A dozen of them were shattered and felled, giving the immediate area the impression of a place that had been bombed.

Athena took advantage of his brief distraction and sent a surge of darkness at him, shaped into a javelin towards his heart. A torrent of energy, sparking with purple lightning and carrying an air of death.

Godou saw it and simply raised his sword up.

-Strange. If he had the time to stop and observe his actions, he would note that they were different than how he would have acted. Though the pulse of adrenaline coursed through his veins and he felt the ever-present sensation of combat lust, as did most Campione, his mind itself was calm. A strange sort of rationality that he couldn't explain, though one he recognized as the same he had after Erica had died.

The wave of darkness was upon him. An all consuming darkness as omnipresent as the night sky threatening to envelop him and send him into the eternal void. A darkness carrying with it the air of absolute death.

Godou swung his sword, golden light spilling from its blade and illuminating the darkness. Like that, the all encompassing darkness was dispelled, instantly cut apart in a single slash. But the slash did not end at the darkness and sent a ray of golden light towards Athena.

The eyes of the Goddess grew wide and she jumped into the air, barely avoiding the attack. "Impossible... no. I should not be surprised." The smile that had been on her face expanded even further. "Truly, Kusanagi Godou, you are one worthy of being my fated opponent. However!" She flew higher into the air, such that she was silhouetted by the moon itself. "This is the end! Last time you survived this attack by severing my divinity! I would see if you can do it again now that you no longer possess such ability!"

Godou said nothing, only holding the sword behind him and preparing for Athena's attack.

She raised her arms and said, "I am the mother goddess of the night. The moon, the stars, the darkness of the sky... I call upon your strength! Come forth and devour my foe!"

An enormous serpent, one that seemed as if it could consume the moon itself, appeared in the sky. It must have been miles across, crackling with energy that seemed to be able to cut down even the greatest of heroes and gods. A true embodiment of death and darkness, as well as bearing the mystery of the unknown hidden within the night.

Godou wouldn't be able to block it. Even if his body was empowered by the Camel, Bull, and Raptor, it would be far from enough to take it. And even though he possessed the Ram, which would allow him to survive a lethal blow and return from death... he doubted that it would last in the might of Athena's attack.

The Stallion, the Goat, the Boar... they each possessed destructive powers, but in the face of that serpent that seemed capable of consuming the moon, they would be nothing.

Godou did not possess the capacity to block it.

_Are you going to accept this reality, champion?_

-However, instead of fear or resignation in the face of Athena's attack, all Godou felt was fury. No... fury wasn't the right word. It was rather disdain.

Powerful. Athena's attack was something that could annihilate the very island they were on if it struck.

Something that Godou couldn't contend with the Authorities he possessed. ...And yet, he could.

Something inside him was saying that even if the world itself were to face him, the only result would be his absolute triumph, his _promised victory._

Instead of trying to flee, block, or charge at Athena before she could send out her attack, Godou closed his eyes and began to speak. Words spilled from his lips, sacred statements that seemed to align something within him.

"A Hero triumphs against all odds."

-That was right. A hero was someone who could defy the impossible. Someone who drew forth a miracle from the void and wrought a future that would not exist.

"A Hero overturns Fate itself!'

Athena narrowed her eyes, realizing Godou was putting something into action. Refusing to allow him the time to complete it, she sent the serpent towards the ground. The massive dark beast distorted the very air around it, as if devouring a hole through space in order to strike at its foe.

Something that should not be taken lightly. It was an attack that would have given any Campione pause, let alone Godou who only possessed the Authorities of a single God. However, he didn't pay attention to it, instead concentrating on the words seeming to come from his soul.

"A Hero challenging his Destiny! Hear me, this is my creed, my challenge against the Gods!"

-That was right. The fact that Erica had been taken away from him had been decreed by the gods, and yet she had been restored. The cruel fate that should have been a reality was overturned and made into nothing more than a nightmare that faded away into the day. Shirou had shown him that, had made him believe that it was possible for a single person to stand against the heavens and force it to bend to his will.

The serpent opened its maw, moments away from devouring the very island they were on.

He stared at it with defiant eyes and swung his sword. "This is my Incarnation of Promised Victory!"

A seemingly worthless resistance. Against such an enormous creature, both Godou and his sword looked like nothing more than a toy soldier and a toothpick. And yet...

Golden light that seemed to turn night into day spilled out into the surroundings, bathing the island itself in a radiant hue. At the same time, it coalesced into a wave of energy that shot out towards the serpent, directly obliterating it before carrying on to Athena.

It would be her death. The instant Godou saw the light cut through the serpent, he knew that Athena wouldn't be able to survive.

The Goddess seemed to have realized it as well, simply giving him a satisfied smile as the light approached her. It appeared that she had accepted her fate... anticipated that this would be the result of their clash.

...But could Godou allow that?

Athena had fought with him in the past, that was true. She had also tried to send the world into an eternal darkness... but at the same time, she had helped him as well. When Caine had descended, instead of taking advantage of the situation to attack Godou, she had gone out of her way to help him and even brought him out of his stupor to save Yuri.

In a time span that barely encompassed a fraction of a second, Godou recalled everything he knew about Athena. And once he did... the golden light vanished.

At once, the night returned to darkness.

Godou lowered his arms, his hands now empty, and looked up to the sky at the Goddess still beneath the moon.

Silence reigned, and after a few moments, Athena descended from her position in the sky. "Why did you not deal the finishing blow, Kusanagi Godou? You had won."

Godou shrugged. "...And?"

Athena frowned. "You would have obtained my powers. In a time of turmoil such as this, you require all the strength you may obtain. So why...?"

Godou shook his head and let out a sigh.

Athena tilted her head, unable to comprehend his actions. For one such as he, for one who would be fated to face turbulent times, gaining strength should be his priority. While Athena did not _want_ to die, she acknowledged Godou's strength and will. She had even planned to offer him as much aid as she could if he won... and he had. Yet... he did not slay her.

"I told you last time, didn't I?" Godou said. "I won't kill you. As long as you don't go around causing trouble, I don't mind. And besides," Godou smiled at Athena. "This time I beat you on my own terms, meaning if you do go cause trouble I can just stop you again, can't I?"

Athena gave him a long look, as if trying to peer into his very soul.

Godou would be lying if he said he didn't find that somewhat unnerving. _...Actually. That expression of hers kind of reminds me of Erica's..._

An immediate sense of foreboding.

Godou felt a chill run up his spine.

Athena stared at him for a while longer and then laughed. "You... I see! So this is why the future had vanished before my eyes... Hahaha." The Goddess let out a laugh, a sound that was like beautiful music. "Truly, the land of the sun births strange Champions."

Godou didn't understand what Athena was talking about, but he sensed she didn't want to keep fighting. "...So this means we're done here, right?"

Athena giggled. A melodious sound that could tug at one's heart.

Again, Godou had a sense of deep foreboding. Not danger, but rather the instinct that he had developed after becoming a Campione. Namely that his life would become much more complicated in the immediate future.

"Indeed, Kusanagi- no, Godou." Athena gave him a radiant smile. "Our battle has concluded, and in it you are the victor. As such... my powers are yours to wield." The Goddess took a step towards him.

Godou took a step back, every alarm bell in his head ringing upon seeing her actions. "Um... that's great and all, but I think I'll pass. I'm good on powers for the moment-"

"Oh no." Athena took another step forward, cutting off Godou's retreat. "In accordance with Pandora's pact, a God bested by a Campione is to offer their strength to the victor. And while you did not reap my life, bested me you have. As such..."

Godou took another step back, only to find himself hitting a tree. He frantically looked around for an avenue of escape, but could only see the encroaching darkness closing off everywhere he looked.

Athena closed the distance between them in an instant and wrapped her arms around his neck, like a woman would with their lover, and said, "From this moment, our fates are entwined as one." Saying that, she leaned in close.

Staring into her dazzling amethyst eyes, Godou could do nothing but stand spellbound as Athena's crimson lips drew closer and closer...

"GODOU-SAN! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

The darkness that had been coiling around them shattered as a silver arrow pierced into the ground nearby.

Godou looked up to see Yuri and Erica zooming through the air towards him. He let out a sigh of relief and called out. "Erica, Yuri, I- mmph!"

Before he could explain himself, Athena had already closed the rest of the distance and stolen his breath.

"GODOU-SAN!" Yuri's outraged voice echoed through the night air. At the same time, Erica's laugh resounded.

"Truly," Erica said. "My Godou is a magnificent king if even a Goddess has lost her heart to him."

Despite being far away, her words came down to Godou as clear as if she had said them into his ears. No doubt a result of some spell or magic.

Godou flushed a deep red once he heard them and pushed Athena away. Or rather, he tried to.

Unfortunately, the Goddess didn't seem keen to let him go, so the only result he managed was to get her to lean back and stare into his eyes.

"Wh-what was that for?!"

Athena continued staring at him, a small smile on her face. "That was my acknowledgement of you as my King, and of I as your maiden."

"But- what- I don't even-" Godou was unable to get his mind wrapped around the idea. "But you're a goddess! I'm a Campione! Shouldn't I be your natural enemy?"

Athena shrugged, idly tucking away one of Godou's hairs. "That may be true, but if the King of the End has his maidens, why can Campione not?"

Godou had a feeling his life just got a lot more complicated. That feeling was confirmed by Yuri and Erica landing on the ground nearby.

Erica gave Godou a bright smile and a thumbs up. It seemed that she was in agreement with the idea of Athena pledging her cause to his own.

On the contrary, Yuri ran straight up to Godou and Athena, her hands curled into tight fists at her side. From the look in her eyes, she looked like she was about to go off on a long rant about doing such scandalous deeds in the middle of the night and being seduced by a Goddess.

Godou sighed, inwardly wondering if Shirou had as many troubles in his love life as Godou did.

Athena took a step back upon seeing Erica and Yuri land, giving both an appraising look.

Sensing a burgeoning conflict, Godou said, "Right. So since we're all done here, how about we-"

"So even my old foe has fallen under the spell of the wicked Campione. Truly, the devils have their tempting ways."

Godou immediately went on guard and looked towards the source of the voice.

In the night sky, suspended beneath the moon upon a pure white pegasus, there was a man. Blond hair, with a pretty boy face that was marred somewhat by arrogance and disdain, he looked down upon them all and said, "It appears that it falls upon me to rescue the maidens from the clutches this cruel villain."

Athena instantly rearmed herself with her scythe. "Perseus. So you have descended as well."

The man jumped off his pegasus, landing on the ground before them with a grace that no human could have done. "Of course. With the appearance of dragons, my old foe, and two devil kings, how could this Hero not descend upon the stage? But enough of that. You there, Campione."

Godou didn't reply, instead narrowing his eyes and tensing to act at a moment's notice.

-Dangerous. The man before him set off every battle instinct Godou had. Instincts that told him victory could be had, but only at a steep price. That it would be a close and fierce battle.

The golden sword of victory appeared in his hand and Godou took a step forward, unconsciously moving himself so that Erica and Yuri were behind him.

Perseus smiled. "So you have some sense after all." He lifted his hand, and a sword appeared within it. Splendid, bearing a holy aura of Steel. "Unfortunately, this is where you fall."

Athena moved to Godou's side, her scythe maneuvered to be ready to both attack at a moment's notice as well as defend. "Do you truly believe that you will win against both him and I, Perseus?"

The dragon slaying god smiled. "We shall see, old foe."

With that, Perseus dashed forward and the battle began.

On a different island nearby, a girl-, no a young woman. A young woman in an emerald kimono strode towards the center of it. She was beautiful beyond measure, with jade skin that could rival the gleam of the moon. Crimson eyes akin to rubies stared into the starry sky.

Kushina had chosen the island because of its proximity towards the ley lines running through the country.

It was time. Preparations were complete, and she had waited long enough.

"...After countless centuries, this Kushina... No. _I_ will finally get my revenge." She held her hand out, and a blade appeared within it. To anyone familiar with Ena Seishuuin, it would have been easily recognized.

Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi. The sword that Susanoo had obtained from slaying Orochi and rescuing Kushinadahime before taking her as his bride. At least, that was the tale told throughout the ages, the 'legend' that became inscribed in the human consciousness. But it was not the reality.

Kushina remembered, although the rest of the world could not. She remembered how Susanoo had appeared and destroyed her life. How Susanoo had taken away everything she held dear, only to force himself upon her and erase her memories upon her defeat. How he spread the tale of a rescued maiden from a slain dragon when the truth was far from it.

Her memories were erased and she was forced to spend countless centuries at the God's side. Even within the Netherworld, their fates had been entwined, and she had been kept under a close watch by the God of Storms. Upon the slightest hint of her recalling her true nature, she was slain and her memories erased.

It was a cycle that had been repeated countless times, enough that she had forgotten how long ago it had been since it started.

Yet, though her memories were gone, in her heart of hearts, she still recalled it. A memory of autumn and spring, a time in the distant past. Still, it was only a faint memory, one that would never have borne fruit had it not been for the events half a year ago. Were it not for that, perhaps Kushina would have never recalled the past and remained for all eternity as Kushinadahime, the princess rescued by Susanoo from the clutches of the vile Orochi.

Half a year ago... that was when there was the familiar presence of autumn and spring. A feeling that brought everything rushing back in a tide of emotions, memories, _anger._

Kushina narrowed her eyes and clenched her hand, causing the Grass-Cutting Sword to shatter.

Destroying such a blade, which had become a God in its own right should have been difficult. Even for Heretic Gods, slaying other deities, particularly in the case of a Mother Earth Goddess slaying a God of Steel... it was difficult. Difficult, and one that went against the natural order.

And yet Kushina easily performed such a feat, the legendary sword turning into nothing more than fragments of light.

-After all, the blade was once hers.

When she shattered the blade, an aura of _power_ surrounded Kushina. At the same time, she changed. Her emerald kimono vanished, turning into a flowing Chinese robe from ancient times. Her young body aged, revealing a stunning woman in her mid-twenties. The beauty that the Emperors of the Middle Kingdom would have waged wars to possess.

At the same time, the air around her changed, gaining an archaic presence. In addition, there was a sharp sensation of 'Steel' around her. Something that should have been impossible... and yet was.

"...Finally." Kushina tensed her arms and tested out her body. "It's been too long since I've regained this form. Husband... I will rescue you this time for certain." With those words said, she held out her hand, causing a sword to appear once more.

If there was anyone to see it, they would have felt that its aura was the same as the Grass-Cutting Sword. But it was different. Instead of the obsidian curved sword, it was a pure white, one-handed Chinese straight sword. And where the blade itself had been unadorned, now it contained a patterning reminiscent of eel-skin.

Steel Devouring Serpent. That was Kushina's true nature, and one that appeared in the sword she held. A Goddess of the Earth that was capable of overturning the natural order and devouring unyielding steel. The predator of Gods of Steel in the same manner that Campione defeated Heretic Gods.

The sword cleaved the night air, causing a Rend in the world itself. An usurpation of Fate, a tear in this reality's Destiny...

"SUSANOO! Show yourself, you cowardly hero!" Kushina's voice cut through the night, seemingly reverberating through the void itself.

Silence reigned, but after a few moments, someone answered. "Kushinadahime. So you have regained your memories after all."

The air rippled and distorted, followed by the gathering of storm clouds and lightning. "To think that there would be a day this occurred..."

From the rend in the air, a man emerged. At first glance, he seemed nothing more than a middle-aged geezer with long hair and a fat belly. However, when he saw Kushina standing there and holding that sword, his eyes narrowed and he changed.

Kushina said nothing, only clutching her sword tighter and narrowing her eyes.

Lightning crackled around the man as his body became that of an indomitable warrior, rippling muscle with no shred of fat upon it. Crimson armor appeared on him, the sort donned by samurai in times past. At the same time, his hair flowed out behind him in a gravity-defying way, appearing like storm clouds crackling with lightning. An aura of dominance, radiating both the lightning of the heavens and the unyielding steel of the earth.

Facing that aura, Kushina remained unaffected. If anything, the sight of it caused her own aura to rise.

The oppressive force of lightning and steel was met by an all consuming sensation of an endless abyss, of gazing at a monster that could swallow the heavens themselves and seal them away for all eternity.

Upon seeing her actions, Susanoo said, "...I had wondered who harmed Ena. So it turned out that it was you." The God of Storms spoke in a casual tone, seemingly uncaring. However, his eyes were sharp, staring directly at Kushina.

Kushina raised her sword at Susanoo and said, "Return Gan Jiang to me!"

"Hah. So you're still going on about that." Susanoo laughed. "The love between you two is great indeed. The two serpents that created married blades reaching the heavens themselves..." He held out his hand and a sword appeared within it.

Like the one Kushina wielded, it was a Chinese one handed straight sword. But unlike hers, this blade carried a tortoise-shell pattern and was a deep obsidian color.

Seeing it, Kushina couldn't help but cry out. "Gan Jiang!"

Susanoo laughed before sending the sword away. "If you think that he can hear you, then you're dreaming, Mo Ye." With that said, his face calmed, appearing like the serene skies before a storm. "...And you are delusional if you think this time will end any differently."

Kushina- no, Mo Ye stepped forward, her eyes carrying unbridled fury. "Your victory the first time was won only through trickery and deceit! And the following ones were gained through my suppression! I will see if you can do it again now that I am at my full strength!"

"Hmph." Susanoo crossed his arms. "That might have been true once upon a time... but did you truly think these centuries have been spent simply idling away?"

Mo Ye's reply was to swing her blade at Susanoo, causing a wave of pure white light to spill forth. One that carried the will of tearing apart all steel beneath the Heavens.

Even if Susanoo was known as a God of Storms, at his core, he was a God of Steel. As such, the attack should have proved more than enough to end him. And yet, he remained standing. A cloak of crimson flames surrounded Susanoo, and it was that which had absorbed Mo Ye's attack.

She instantly retreated once she saw it, her eyes wide. "That... is the Yata Mirror!? How have you come to wield it?"

Susanoo shrugged before materializing a simple katana. Simple, in that it was unadorned, but as a Divine Instrument of a God, it was still more than any mere mortal blade. "That doesn't concern you. What does... is how you plan to defeat me now that your attacks are meaningless!" He charged forward, storm clouds and lightning trailing behind him as he swung his katana.

"It matters not! Susanoo! Your end will be today!" Mo Ye charged at the same time, her sword shining with a devouring white light.

And it was in that manner that a legendary battle between a dragon and a hero began once more.

* * *

A/N: Enjoy a double release. Godou gets some powerups and Athena joins the team. Might be a bit out of character, but still getting a handle on her. ...Actually, it's probably really out of character now that I think about it... eh, too late now.

Kushina's identity is revealed as well! Now, how many people guessed correctly, I wonder?

Next few chapters are going to hit the fan, and pretty hard at that. Considering Perseus's well known Authority and Susanoo's broken powers a la Naruto... yeah.

Hope it was an enjoyable read! Leave a review if you did, and I'll see you all later. Probably not today, but we'll see.

Until the next!


	16. To Italy: Sword of Salvation

**To Italy: Sword of Salvation, Sword of Glory**

Godou charged towards Perseus and swung his sword. By his side, matching his advance, Athena did the same, swinging her scythe in tandem with Godou's attack.

Perseus smirked and another sword appeared in his left hand. With it, he knocked aside Godou's attack while stopping Athena's dead in its tracks. "Such a weak attack won't do anything!" Saying that, he pushed back against Athena, sending her flying backwards before slashing at Godou.

The Campione brought his sword up to parry, trusting in the instincts granted upon him by the Warrior to see him through.

A trio of _clangs_ resounded.

Godou parried twice, but on the third he was too slow, and so forced to block. With his strength, he should have been able to withstand Perseus's blows... yet with the force of two swords striking his one, he was sent reeling backwards as well.

Perseus straightened, looking at both Godou and Athena with arrogance in his eyes. "Is that all you have? If so, then we should end this farce right now."

Godou scrambled to regain his stance and then glared at Perseus. _...He's strong._ Godou had yet to fight a dual wielder before, and, even with the aid of the Warrior, was only barely able to see through the attacks. Enough to avoid getting killed, but not enough to act. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes to see Athena had recovered from being sent flying. With a brief nod, the two charged at Perseus again, attacking from different angles.

Perseus sighed. "Once again with the same act. It's no wonder that you fell so easily to my blade, Medusa." The Dragon Slayer swung a sword, easily parrying Athena's attack. But when his second sword swung to meet Godou's he met empty air. "What-?"

Godou instantly appeared at Athena's side in a burst of wind and then sent a blinding stab towards Perseus's exposed neck.

An attack that could have easily slain any lesser man. ...But Perseus was no such person. As a hero who had slain dragons, one who had roamed freely across the lands and carried countless divine items upon him, how could such a simple strike be his end?

Godou lunged, his sword only hairs away from reaching its target.

At that time, Perseus _moved_ twisting in an unnatural way that somehow brought his spare sword to parry the attack.

In the next instant, it was Godou who found himself being targeted with a lunge. Like before, Godou managed to parry the first blow, and even the one directly following. However, upon the third, Godou was once against forced to block... or he would have been.

Athena parried the third attack and said, "Surprise attacks will not work on him. I had forgotten, but Perseus is a master of such tactics, having been sent to perform many such duties by the Gods."

"I can see that," Godou said. At the same time, he carefully watched Perseus, waiting for an opportunity.

Perseus smiled. "So you remember, my old foe. Indeed, surprise attacks will not work on me. And to face me in direct combat... well, let us see who is the superior, shall we?" With those words, the God dashed forward, swords swinging in a cascade of blows.

Godou frantically swung his own sword to block. He would have summoned another through the Warrior if he could, like he had in the past, but with its changed form that proved to be impossible.

Fortunately, he wasn't fighting alone. Athena attacked Perseus by Godou's side, relieving some of the pressure from Perseus's twin swords.

Over a hundred attacks were exchanged in the span of a single second.

Godou attacked with godspeed, executing sword slashes with enough strength and agility to slay entire armies. By his side, Athena did the same, as well as lashing out with her darkness magic every chance she could.

...And yet every single blow was parried by Perseus, without so much as him batting an eye. Then, as if growing tired of the exchange, he even surpassed their attacks with one of his own, seeking to slash apart Godou's neck.

Godou leaned back, only just avoiding the blow. Still, it was enough to send his mind reeling. _Just.. who is this guy?_

Strong. Indomitably so. Athena had called him Perseus, but... how could the God fighting them be simply Perseus?

Godou didn't believe it for a second. Perseus, from what Godou knew of the legend, shouldn't be that skilled in sword fighting. Though a great hero, his strength should have come from the magical items granted upon him by the Gods rather than his own ability. Godou, who possessed the combat experience of Verethragna due to the Warrior, should not have been pressed so hard, let alone Athena.

And yet, the blonde god hadn't so much as shed a single drop of sweat since the battle had begun. In contrast, both Godou and Athena were worse for the wear, cuts apparent all over both of their bodies.

Athena stared at Perseus and said, "...You are strong. Much stronger than you were in the past, Perseus."

Perseus smiled. "A hero's legend grows ever stronger throughout the ages, my old foe. How could I be so weak when so much time has passed?"

Godou frowned._ That doesn't seem right._ Even if time had passed and Perseus's myth grew stronger, it wouldn't explain the fact that he was unnaturally skilled. The fact that he was fighting Athena and Godou on par, even surpassing them... it didn't seem quite right.

"That does not explain your strength, Perseus," Athena said. "Has 'He' granted you another boon?"

"...Hah." Perseus smiled. "Truly, you are a Goddess of Wisdom, old foe. Indeed, He has granted me quite a bit of strength before my descent. Of course, it seems that I am not the only one who has grown stronger." Perseus tilted his head, staring at Athena. "...It would appear that you have as well, or is that not the aura of Lady Hera I sense upon you?"

Godou didn't know what they were talking about, but he had the sense that Perseus would be even tougher to handle than he had imagined. Godou tensed and prepared to clash again.

"...Godou."

"Athena?"

The Goddess had spoken, but her eyes remained on Perseus the entire time. "Go. Take your comrades and flee. I will stall Perseus. At the same time, inform your fellow Campione. This battle will not be easily fought. Even your Victory might not withstand it."

Godou frowned. "But-"

"Hoh? Planning to elope with the maidens while the hero is present?" Perseus smiled, easily seeing through their plan. "True, with her life on the line my old foe might be able to stall me long enough for you to flee with them, Campione. But do you believe I will allow you to do so?"

Athena sent a surge of darkness towards Perseus and charged forward with her scythe.

Godou grit his teeth and dashed back towards Erica and Yuri. "Erica, Yuri!"

Erica nodded and grabbed Yuri, already chanting the first words of her flight spell-

"Hmph." Perseus scoffed and batted aside Athena's attack. At the same time, his eyes narrowed, focusing on Godou and his girls.

Seeing Perseus's focus on them, Godou got a bad feeling.

"I am the hero above all else, rescuing maidens from the clutches of evil. Slaying the dragons, their love is my just reward!"

Athena's eyes widened. "Stop!" Her scythe swung down at Perseus, imbued with an overwhelming amount of darkness... but it was too late.

"Obey me, you of divine descent and come to my aid!" Perseus finished his spell words and laughed.

Godou reached Erica and went to grab her hand-

"Yes, my Hero."

-only to find himself having to dodge out of the way of Cuore di Leone.

Godou body jumped back out of instinct, but his mind itself had frozen. _What?_

Erica was standing there with her sword outstretched, staring at him as if he was the lowliest being on Earth.

At the same time, Yuri, who was standing beside her, stared at Godou with the blank eyes that he recognized as those of her spirit gaze.

"Erica...? What are you-" Before he could get out another word, Erica lunged at him, her sword swinging to deliver a lethal blow.

Again, his body moved on instinct, easily getting him out of her attack range. But his mind was reeling, still unable to comprehend the following events.

Athena swung her scythe again, trying to distract Perseus, and said, "Godou! Perseus possess the power to control those of descended from Divine Ancestors! At the moment, they are your enemies!"

Godou shook his head. "No, that can't-"

Before he could finish, Erica lunged again for a sword blow. Only this time, Yuri called out as well. "He'll dodge to the left!"

Godou dodged out of the way on instinct, but like Yuri said, his body moved to the left.

Erica instantly adjusted, sending her sword slashing out in that direction and carving a crimson line upon Godou's body.

Godou shook his head, still in disbelief. "Erica! Snap out of it! You... you promised, remember!? You said you won't leave me again, so why-?!"

The words were spoken with a tinge of agony and despair. But if they reached Erica, she didn't show it, already stabbing out with her sword again in an attempt to end Godou's life.

Godou didn't move, not willing to believe that Erica would go through with it-

A wave of darkness forced him out of the way of her slash. "Kusanagi Godou!" Athena said. "They cannot hear you!"

Perseus laughed before charging in at Athena once more. "Indeed, devil king! The maidens I have rescued will refuse to follow your evil designs any further! Now, fair maidens, show me your devotion!"

Erica nodded, stepping back in a pose that Godou was familiar with, the one that would summon steel lions to attack.

"ERICA!"

Again, if Erica acknowledged Godou's words, she didn't show it. Instead, she began chanting the divine spell words to complete her attack. "Cuore di Leone, I entrust the battlefield to you! Lion Steel, rip him part. Bore through him. Crush him in your jaws!" Upon her words, a trio of steel lions emerged, all eyeing Godou with predatory eyes.

"Kusanagi Godou!" Athena called out again, her voice pleading.

Godou's hand clenched his sword in a death grip, his heart conflicted. He refused to move and yet failing to do so would mean his death.

"He will leap back, swing his sword to parry, and then retreat." Yuri's calm and monotone voice sounded out, detailing Godou's future actions.

"Even you, Yuri? Dammit! Why?!" Godou grit his teeth. _Dammit, dammit, dammit! _His heart hurt. He couldn't think.

A betrayal on the deepest level.

Even though Godou _knew_ that they weren't in their proper minds, it still hurt. Still tore at his heart, making him feel like it was wrenched out of his chest.

Yuri didn't respond, only continuing to stare at him with blank eyes. At the same time, Erica attacked.

Like Yuri said, Godou reacted on instinct, leaping back, swinging his sword to parry, and then opening the distance between him and Erica.

Though his actions were dictated by Yuri, Erica found it hard to keep up with him, and so failed to inflict any damage.

Godou called out to them again. "You promised to stay on my side, Yuri! Even if the world itself was against us! And Erica, you promised to always be at my side and never leave again! So... WHY?!" His last word came out as a pain-stricken roar.

Erica didn't respond, only swinging her sword before sending the steel lions pouncing at Godou once more.

Godou screamed and swung his sword to cut them down-

"Godou-san! Swing your sword up and then lash out with your leg!"

A familiar voice. Yuri's.

Instinctively, he did just as she said. In doing so, he knocked aside the lions that were going to attack him without any injuries.

Though Perseus had been kept occupied with Athena, upon hearing Yuri's words he said, "Impossible! There should be no maiden capable of resisting my charm!" He forced Athena away with a heavy slash and turned towards the two girls by Godou. "_Obey me_!" The God of Steel spoke, his words carrying a weight with them that seemed to brook no refusal.

Erica immediately stilled, falling under its spell. But Yuri-

"NO!" She ran towards Godou's side and glared at Perseus. "I... I promised to stand with Godou- no, with my king even against the gods themselves. I might have been swayed by your words once, but I will not any longer!"

Godou blinked, seeing Yuri's resolve. "Yuri, you-"

The brown-haired girl gave him a small smile. "I might not be of much use to you, Godou-san. I can't fight like Erica and I know I can never hold as large a portion in your heart as she does. However, I promise. No matter if it is the world itself or the gods, I will remain by your side."

"Hmph." Perseus scoffed. "It would seem I underestimated how deeply entrenched your wicked charms have gone, Devil King. But no matter... this will end now."

Perseus dashed towards Godou, swords cutting out in a cross towards his neck-

"Have you forgotten about me, Perseus?"

-Only to have them knocked aside by Athena's scythe.

"Tch. Troublesome snake...! Know your place!"

Perseus swung his swords around in a heavy blow. Unlike the last one, this bypassed Athena's defense entirely, sending her flying back towards Godou and Yuri. However, this was exactly as she planned.

Athena reached out towards Godou and said, "Take my hand!"

Perseus's eyes grew wide. "You-!"

Godou had a moment's hesitation, glancing at Erica's unmoving figure, before holding onto Yuri tight and grabbing Athena's hand.

Like the time they arrived on the island, a surge of darkness enveloped the world. When it vanished, the only ones remaining on the island were Perseus and Erica.

Perseus scowled. "Damned snake. I had forgotten how slippery they are. But it matters not." He turned towards Erica, observing her and said, "They'll be back. So long as I have that devil king's knight, there is no way that they will flee too far."

Perseus walked towards Erica brushed away her hair, staring into her eyes. "...Such devotion and love this knight feels for that king. A pity that she has already fallen under the banner of Steel and has been marked by His blade. That love will only end in tragedy."

The blond god stared up at the night sky upon the stars in the northern sky. "...This I know too well. But alas, this Hero must play his role as the villain."

He turned his attention back to Erica and said, "Follow."

The knight nodded before following after Perseus, who leapt across the seas towards the villa in the distance.

* * *

Shirou ran through the trees, Liliana and Doni following close behind. It had only been a short while since he had seen the golden light emerge in the distance when yet another disturbance in the night occurred.

In the distance, across the sea on some nearby island, an enormous storm cloud suddenly appeared, as well as crackling lightning.

"...Liliana," Shirou said. "Is it common for Italy to experience sudden thunderstorms?"

Liliana followed Shirou's gaze and shook her head. "No. It should be clear weather this entire week we're in Italy..."

Shirou frowned. The building storm wasn't far away from the island that Godou should have been on. That concerned him, considering the fact that it could be yet another enemy lurking in the darkness.

Doni stared at the storm and muttered, "A Heretic God's descent?" For once, his carefree expression focused and he turned his head to look back at the island that Godou had been on. "Not one, but two?"

Hearing those words from Doni, Shirou's frown deepened. "We should hurry back. Liliana, hold on tight."

"E-Eh? Shirou, what-"

Shirou swept Liliana into his arms and reinforced his body to the limit, dashing back towards the villa as fast as he could.

Beside him, Doni did the same, though with a different ability.

With their speed, it took no time at all to arrive back at the villa. And when they arrived, a surge of darkness welled upon the shore.

Shirou set Liliana down and went on guard, summoning Red Punishment and Durandal without care of his identity being exposed.

Likewise, Doni and Liliana brandished their own blades.

A tense few moments stretched out as the darkness gradually abated. And when it did, Athena, Yuri, and Godou collapsed onto the sandy beach.

Shirou was the first to react, quickly analyzing the situation at hand, and headed towards the group. "Godou, what happened?"

"Shirou?" Godou blinked, as if dazed. Upon seeing Shirou though, his eyes immediately focused. "Quick, you have to-" Before Godou could explain, there was a streak of white light cutting across the sky, like that of a falling star.

Shirou narrowed his eyes.

A blond man upon a pegasus, with Erica seated behind him. He came to a stop above the shoreline and glanced down upon the group assembled at the shore, letting out an arrogant smile. "So even more devil kings have arrived. And not only that, but there is another maiden to rescue-"

"Oh? This is interesting." Doni strode forward to stand next to Godou. "From the look of things, this is the God you lost to, right Godou?"

It was at that time Godou realized that Doni was there. "Doni? What are you doing here?"

Doni laughed. "Why looking for you, of course. We never did finish our last fight... but I suppose we can put that on hold for now. Looks like you're in a bit of a jam."

Perseus looked down at Doni and raised an eyebrow. "So you wish to do battle with me, Campione?"

"Why not? You must be pretty strong if you could force Godou back. Should be fun."

"Hmph. Then I shall see your skill for myself. But first-" Perseus turned towards Liliana, staring at her with an intense gaze. "That maiden must be rescued from the foul devil king."

Godou's eyes grew wide and he turned towards Shirou. "TAKE LILIANA AWAY, NOW!"

Shirou didn't know exactly what had caused the sheer panic in Godou's voice, but he had a good idea of what happened from seeing Erica stand beside Perseus and not looking at Godou at all.

Without another thought, Shirou dashed out and grabbed Liliana. However-

"You, maiden of divine descent. As the hero who slays dragon, who is adored by all-"

Words of power, those that seemed to carry within them a charming intent. Even though he wasn't the target, Shirou could sense the purpose of that ability. Words to ensnare, words to bind.

"You're forgetting your opponent!"

But before Perseus could finish, Doni lunged out at a blinding speed with his indomitable sword slash that seemed to cut the sky apart.

Perseus was forced to defend from the attack, sensing it wasn't anything ordinary. However, he was too slow, and the blow easily split apart the pegasus he was riding upon, forcing both Perseus and Erica to descend from the sky.

"You-!" Perseus looked at Doni with fury.

"Me!" Without another word, Doni leapt high into the air, sword already swinging for another slash at Perseus.

Mentally thanking Doni for the distraction, Shirou took advantage of it and bid a hasty retreat, trusting his 'disciple' to take care of things there.

* * *

Seeing Shirou make a swift retreat with Liliana, Godou let out a sigh of relief.

Having Erica and Yuri forced to obey Perseus was bad enough.

While Yuri was able to break free from Perseus's hold, Godou suspected that had something to do with him using the Youth on her in the past rather than her devotion, since if that was the case Erica would have been the first to break free.

If Liliana fell under Perseus's spell and Shirou was forced to fight her...

Godou shook his head. _That doesn't matter now._

Shirou and Liliana were far and away from Perseus's range, and Doni was pressuring the God too much for him to think of pursuing. And speaking of Doni...

Godou looked at how the Italian Campione was facing off against both Perseus and Erica and let out a sigh. _That guy..._ Just how much had he been holding back the last time they fought?

With every blow between Doni and Perseus, sand flew into the sky as if mortars were dropped onto the beach. At the same time, the Italian Campione managed to skillfully parry Erica's sneak attacks with just enough force to divert her blows and yet leave her unharmed.

Godou watched the fight with wide eyes, still somewhat in shock at how much Doni had been holding back from him in their fight.

"Kusanagi Godou." Athena called out to him.

Hearing her weak voice, Godou remembered the blow she had taken from Perseus.

The Goddess was in rough shape. A deep red line carved across her chest, revealing her pale white skin beneath her robe.

Godou would have been embarrassed by it if not for the severity of the situation. "What is it Athena?"

Athena stared at him and let out a long sigh. "Though I do not wish to leave you like so... a comrade of my own is in danger. There is a vow between us that I must uphold. Thus, I ask you for leave."

Godou frowned. "You want to leave? With that wound?" She looked like she was on the verge of collapsing let alone being in any shape to help anyone.

"...The wound appears worse than it truly is. In any case, under the moonlight, I will have been healed by the time I arrive."

Godou still felt hesitant at letting Athena go, but seeing the conviction in her eyes as well as the genuine regret, he sighed and said, "Alright. But be careful, Athena. I don't want you to get hurt."

Athena nodded. "Then I thank you for your understanding. Rest assured, I will return as soon as I can." With that, Athena vanished in a swirl of darkness, leaving only Godou and Yuri behind.

Godou sighed and turned back to the battle happening nearby.

After Doni had cut through Perseus's pegasus, both the god and Erica had fallen from the sky. However, with the God's support, they were still afloat through some magic- no, Perseus possessed some sort of shoes that allowed him to fly in the air and it seemed he was able to use the same magic to allow Erica to do the same.

And yet, despite not possessing the ability to do the same, Doni somehow managed to keep up the fight with the two.

Absently staring at the battle happening in the sky, Yuri said, "Lord Salvatore Doni is quite strong."

Godou couldn't help but agree with that statement, wondering again how on Earth he managed to draw with the Italian Campione in their last encounter.

-An aerial battle. Doni shouldn't have been able to fight it, let alone take them on since he shouldn't have an ability to fly as far as Godou knew... but what he was doing was just as effective despite making no sense whatsoever. "That guy... Is he kicking off of the air?"

Yuri nodded. "Impossible as it is, Lord Salvatore is doing just that."

There was yet another exchange of blows in the sky, but this time Doni was sent flying to the ground, crash landing not far from Godou. The Italian Campione spat out some sand from his mouth and laughed. He turned towards Godou and said, "This guy's pretty tough. No wonder you managed to lose to him."

"I know," Godou said. "So then why did you charge at him alone? It'd be better if we fought together, wouldn't it?" Not to mention Godou was raring to carve Perseus's face out with what he was doing to Erica.

Doni nodded and got to his feet. "That's true... but I don't think you'd be happy if you hurt Miss Blandelli by accident, would you?"

"Ah."

That was right. Godou was naturally a reckless fighter. Even with the Warrior's aid in guiding his hand with the golden sword, he was still a destructive fighter at heart. That was mostly because he fought on brute strength and power rather than finesse.

Doni, on the other hand, was an absolute master of the sword. He could freely fight Perseus and fend off Erica without harming her.

If Godou were to try the same, he had no doubt that he could harm Erica in the process of defeating Perseus.

Doni let out a sigh upon seeing Perseus charge towards him. "It's a shame really. If I hadn't had a fight with Teacher earlier, I could have easily beat this guy."

Godou blinked at the non sequitur and said, "Teacher?"

Doni ignored him and got back to his feet. "Well, I'm tagging out now, Godou."

"Wait, what?"

Doni gave Godou a bright smile and then held up his sword at Perseus. "God of Steel! I might not be able to defeat you as I am now, but I'll give you a blow to remember! Hear me! I do declare that there is nothing I cannot cut!"

With those words, Doni kicked off the ground and flew into the air at Perseus.

"Doni!" Godou called out, trying to stop him. With the way that the Italian Campione had acted... Godou had a feeling he wouldn't be winning the next exchange.

Even so, Doni flew through the air, his sword held casually to the side. Then, once he was a few meters away, the Italian Campione swung his blade, an attack bearing a soaring sword intent that could split apart the heavens.

Godou was dumbstruck at seeing the insanely powerful blow.

As for Perseus, he realized the power behind the attack as well, and that he would be unable to move in time to dodge it. However, he had someone who could take the blow for him. Letting out an arrogant smile, he said, "Knight! Defend me!"

Instantly, Erica charged in the way of Doni's slash.

Godou's blood ran cold. "ERICA!"

Doni didn't show any signs of slowing down.

Godou tensed, causing gusts to fly all around him as he prepared to use the Gale to rush after him.

Yuri grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

Godou turned his head and scowled. "What do you mean, wait!? Erica's going to-"

"No, Lord Salvatore isn't going to harm her. Godou-san... no, Godou. Just watch."

Godou grit his teeth and did as Yuri said.

Erica leapt into the way of Doni's sword, and the Italian Campione swung his blade. For a moment, it looked like Erica really would be cut apart, but-

"Wake up, Miss Blandelli. Your king's waiting for you below."

With those muttered words, Doni slashed at her and... through her. His sword phased out of existence, severing a concept rather than anything physical. And with his slash, Erica fell like a puppet with cut strings.

"WHAT?!" Perseus roared in frustration. "You-!"

Doni grabbed Erica and tossed her back towards Godou. "Catch!"

Godou didn't need any prompting and instantly flew into the air with the Gale to catch her.

With Erica safe, Doni turned his attention back to Perseus. "And to keep you from using that dirty trick again, take this! CUT!" Doni swung his sword once he was in range.

Perseus scowled and blocked the blow with one sword, causing Doni's sword to shatter, and using the other to send a powerful slash in return at Doni's defenseless body.

Doni wasn't able to block it and was sent flying into the ocean. However, his final gambit wasn't without merit.

Perseus's scowl deepened. "That devil king- to think that he could even sever my Authority away... Tch! No matter! He's defeated. And now..." Perseus turned his attention back to Godou.

Godou touched on the ground next to Yuri and gently placed Erica onto the sand. She was unconscious, appearing to be in a troubled sleep.

It didn't surprise Godou with what she had been through. Still, the fact that she was safe now and out from under Perseus's control brought a relieved smile to Godou's face. Following that, Godou turned his attention back to Perseus and said, "...You tried to take Erica away from me."

Perseus scoffed. "And you are a fool to think that such a love will do anything but end in tragedy."

Godou didn't say anything, simply rising into the air with the Gale.

"...Yuri."

The brown-haired shrine maiden gave him a questioning look and said, "Yes, Godou?"

Godou was _furious_, and with his fury, he felt his Authorities pulse in response.

"Watch Erica for me. I'm going to cut that bastard down once and for all." With that, Godou flew into the air at Perseus.

Perseus scoffed upon seeing Godou's actions and said, "Without my old foe here to aid you, you are nothing!" He summoned his two swords again and charged at Godou. Like that, a fierce battle took place in the sky once more.

* * *

Soaring across the seas and dashing into the woods.

Mo Ye was on the retreat. Despite her newly recovered abilities, she could only hope that Athena upheld her end of the bargain to come and aid her in this battle.

The reason for that was that Susanoo was strong. Far stronger than he should have been and possessing abilities that he did not have in the past.

Mo Ye grit her teeth and endured the anger welling in her chest.

Susanoo laughed and said, "Where is your determination now, Mo Ye?"

She was frantically fleeing, using every shred of power to escape. In that manner, she had made it back across onto the mainland and into the forests near the villa.

To Susanoo, her actions were those of a cowardly snake, fleeing upon sensing threat beyond their capacity, as many others had done in the past when faced against his might.

The truth of Mo Ye's actions, however, were far from what Susanoo was thinking.

The God of Storms was strong and with the Yata Mirror all but invincible. But for the one that was bound to Mo Ye by Fate, for Emiya Shirou, he shouldn't be.

That was why Mo Ye was running instead of fighting. She was willing to swallow her pride and anger to act the part of a coward if it would allow her a chance to free her husband. To end the tragedy that had been forced upon them by Susanoo's hands.

The problem would be reaching him without falling to Susanoo's blade.

Strong. He was far too strong, unnaturally so, and that made even a full retreat difficult. A single mistake from Mo Ye could mean her end.

"ENOUGH!" Tired of the game of cat and mouse, Susanoo swung his hand. A wave of crimson lightning shot out towards Mo Ye, carrying with them a deadly sense of heavenly retribution.

But before it could reach her, a swirl of darkness appeared and absorbed it. A moment later, Athena appeared beside Mo Ye

Mo Ye let out a relieved smile. "You took long enough, Lady Athena!"

Athena shook her head. "An old foe of my own appeared. It would seem that troubles are abound on this night."

Susanoo, having briefly paused his attacks upon Athena's appearance, narrowed his eyes. "I see... so you have found an ally to fight for you. No matter!" Susanoo pointed his sword at her and said, "Even if you are lady Athena, your strength alone will not be enough to stop me!"

Athena tilted her head to the side and said, "What do you plan we do?"

Mo Ye brushed herself off and focused on the ever present sensation of autumn and spring that she could feel since half a year ago. "...We head in that direction." Mo Ye pointed towards a forest clearing in the distance and said, "Emiya Shirou should be there. With his aid, we might have a chance at success."

"...Perhaps," Athena said. "But do you truly believe he will help you?"

Mo Ye glanced back at Susanoo.

The God of Storms had grown tired of waiting and began acting as his title stated, gathering enormous storm clouds in the sky.

"He will if he wants this land to remain standing," Mo Ye said. "I don't believe Susanoo will care much about destruction in a country not his own."

Athena gave a brief nod of acknowledgment.

"...Then go. I will cover the back."

Mo Ye nodded. "Many thanks once more, Lady Athena."

An enormous blast of crimson lightning surged towards the pair of goddesses, but it was easily repelled by Athena's scythe.

At the same time, they both beat a hasty retreat, one that had Susanoo momentarily confused. "...Why are they running?" The God of Storms had a sense of foreboding, but shook it off and made chase.

After all, the only one that could match him as he was now would be the King of Steel.

* * *

A forest clearing, with a small pond nearby and some rocks. From there, the moon could barely be seen, but provided enough light to illuminate the immediate surroundings.

Shirou sighed and said, "There. This should be far enough." After Godou's frantic warning, Shirou had grabbed Liliana and retreated a few miles out from the villa, back into the forests nearby.

The setting was a place that could be reached in no time at all for a God or Campione, but it was far enough away to be out of range of whatever spell Perseus had tried to cast on Liliana.

Remembering that caused Shirou to remember that he was still holding Liliana. He looked down at her and said, "Are you alright, Liliana?"

The silver-haired knight nodded, quiet and red-faced.

For a moment, Shirou wondered why that was. And then he remembered that he was holding her in a bridal hold... and his right hand was placed at a questionable location. He instantly put her down, his face just as red as hers. "Ah, I didn't mean to- Er... sorry."

"N-no, it's fine." Liliana shook her head, her face somehow becoming an even deeper shade of red. "I didn't mind, Shirou. It was a dangerous situation and there was no time to for you to explain."

Shirou nodded, though it didn't stop the flush from spreading on his cheeks.

Liliana turned back to the villa and said, "Do you think we should have left them like that, though?"

"...It should be fine." Shirou would be lying if he said he wasn't concerned about Godou and the others. But with Doni there, he believed they had a fighting chance.

...That was if Doni didn't recklessly charge by himself like he seemed prone to.

_...On second thought, it might be a good idea to head back._ Even though he had become Shirou's disciple, Doni was still prone to acting without much planning.

At that moment, lightning struck, and not very far away. It would have been ignored had it been normal, but the lightning that flashed had been a deep crimson, something too rare to be circumstance.

Shirou immediately changed his outfit to the one of his Campione persona.

His shirt was replaced by a leather trench coat over a white shirt. White gloves, white boots... dressed as his namesake, Shirou turned towards the lightning and calmly kept watch.

The change in outfit only offered a minor boost to his abilities, as they were made of tougher material than simple cloth and so allowed more reinforcement, but he'd be needing every advantage he could get if what he was thinking came to occur.

Seeing him act like that, Liliana drew Il Maestro and faced the same direction. "Shi- milord. What's approaching?"

"Well," Shirou said. "It looks like we're going to get involved in a fight of our own. Isn't that right, Kushina?"

"Oh? You've actually detected me this time. Quite surprising, Emiya Shirou." Kushina emerged from the trees and landed on the ground not far from Shirou. Her appearance was closely followed by that of the silver-haired woman that was with Godou back at the villa shore.

Shirou turned towards Athena and said, "Are Godou and the others alright?"

Athena nodded. "Your concern is appreciated, Emiya Shirou. Godou... his opponent is a difficult one, but there should be an avenue of victory left for him with the other Campione present." Her face twisted in displeasure as she turned towards the dark forest. "Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for our own circumstances."

Upon her words, a crackle of crimson lightning shot through the darkness, lighting a dozen trees on fire.

"...I can see that," Shirou said.

A man emerged from the forest, one garbed in crimson armor and cloaked in matching flames. He carried with him an aura of invincibility, sheer power the likes of which surpassed any other opponent Shirou had faced.

Caine had been similar, but only in the manner of repelling every attack due to his divine protection of seven fold vengeance.

This man... Shirou had the feeling that his invincibility did not come from solely defense.

Susanoo stepped forward and glared at them all. "So it's four against one now, hm? Not that it matters. A devil king, two goddesses, and a mere mortal..." Susanoo cracked his neck and raised his sword.

Shirou eyed it, noting that the blade seemed somewhat familiar. Like he should be able to tell what it was, and yet couldn't...

"Milord," Liliana said. "Your orders?" Her voice was calm, but carried an undercurrent of distress. Her hands were wrapped firmly around Il Maestro and she was staring defiantly at Susanoo... but her knuckles were white. Her knees trembled.

Seeing her state, Shirou suddenly realized that the aura of a God, let alone those of all three present was not one easily fended off by anyone not a Campione or God themselves. He placed a hand on Liliana's shoulder and said, "Stay at range. Your sword can turn into a bow, right? Just do your best to distract him."

Liliana visibly relaxed upon his words and then nodded, leaping off into the distance.

Susanoo watched her go, but didn't give chase, instead focusing on the three before him. Lightning began crackling as the storm clouds once in the distance relocated to above the forest clearing, blocking out the sight of the moon.

Shirou stepped backwards into his stance, preparing to act at a moment's notice.

Athena prepared her scythe, darkness gathering around her with the action. At the same time, Kushina drew a blade with an eel skin pattern.

-Familiar. Like the sword Susanoo was using, the one Kushina wielded was familiar to him. A name on the tip of his tongue, familiarity like looking upon a reflection in distorted glass.

"...Be careful you two," Kushina said. "Susanoo is not one to be taken lightly."

"Susanoo, huh?" Shirou narrowed his eyes, focusing on the opponent in front of him rather than Kushina's sword.

Athena nodded. "Yes. Our foe is the God of Storms that both you and Kusanagi Godou should be familiar with. Only... he is much more powerful than his legend."

Shirou summoned Red Punishment and Durandal, holding both swords in the same style he took against Doni, that of another swordsman from a different time and place.

For a moment that seemed to stretch towards eternity, a God faced off against two Goddesses and a Campione.

Then all hell broke loose as their battle began.

* * *

Darkness splashed against crimson flames. Immediately after, three blades cut towards it. One, a sword that seemed capable of devouring everything in sight, the other two a peerless blade and an Authority refined into a Divine Instrument. It was a combination of attacks that would have felled any other foe... and yet one that did nothing to this one.

Susanoo stood within a cloak of flames simply staring at the three attackers.

Shirou didn't let up on his attack, swinging his blades over and over in chain after chain of attacks. He knew that the man wasn't Caine, and he didn't think there was anyone else with a barrier that powerful. And if Shirou could get through even the Abrahamic God's protection barrier, he was sure that he could get through the one that Susanoo was using.

As if answering Shirou's will, Red Punishment began chipping away at the barrier, cursed flames billowing out to eat away at Susanoo's protection.

"Ho?" Susanoo raised an eyebrow. "To be able to even damage the Yata Mirror... your fighting prowess is formidable, Campione. Quite unlike these other two." Susanoo swung his hand out, sending lightning splashing everywhere. That was followed by flames, causing the trees in the immediate surroundings to turn into ash.

Athena managed to avoid Susanoo's attacks with her darkness magic. As for Kushina, she was able to cut through the attack with her sword.

Yet, despite the prowess of the two Goddesses, it looked like they wouldn't be able to take another attack of that caliber.

Shirou frowned. Only then did he realize that both Kushina and Athena were bleeding from various cuts and open wounds on their bodies _Were they already this injured when they arrived? Is Susanoo truly that formidable?_

"ENOUGH. I've reached the end of my patience." Susanoo clutched his sword tight, and it began glowing. The turtle shell pattern embroidering the sword's blade shone with a crimson light that matched Susanoo's armor. "With my name reaching the Celestial Kingdom, I shall seal the Heavens!"

Sensing immense danger, Shirou didn't hold back and released all of Red Punishment's power, sending cursed flames advancing towards Susanoo.

Susanoo swung his sword, sending a wave of crimson energy splashing in every direction.

Shirou roared and swung his own sword in response, causing cursed flames to meet the crimson light. In doing so, he managed to cleave apart the wave of crimson in front of him.

Athena and Kushina did not fair as well. Though they both summoned their respective abilities to defend, they were sent flying with the crimson wave.

Athena managed to dissolve a vast amount of the energy through her control of darkness. As a result, she only suffered from the backlash of the attack rather than any lasting damage. Still, the force of the collision was enough to knock the Goddess out.

Kushina did not possess Athena's control over darkness and her own abilities, that of Devouring Steel, proved useless against Susanoo's attack. Because of this, a spray of blood emerged as she flew through the air, suffering from a severe wound.

Shirou noticed that his two primary allies in this battle were struck down, but was unable to do anything about it at the moment. He could only hope that as Goddesses, it wouldn't be enough to keep them down for long.

Susanoo had ignored Shirou, focusing on the two Goddesses who had irritated him by forcing him on a long chase. No one had been able to stand before the might of his sword's attack, save the King of Steel, and so he put Shirou out of his mind. Then the Yata Mirror shattered as Red Punishment's full activation reached it.

Susanoo's eyes grew wide.

At the same time, a barrage of arrows shot through the darkness at Susanoo. The God managed to avoid them with ease, but his actions provided an opening.

Shirou closed the distance in an instant, Shirou swung his swords in a cross and cleaving towards Susanoo.

The God of Storms scowled and swung his sword to meet Shirou's blades.

Durandal clashed against the god's blade... and then vanished.

Shirou's eyes grew wide at the disappearance of the sword. _What?_ He immediately tried recalling it, only to find that it wouldn't answer his call, obstructed by some unknown power.

It was a brief delay, as brief as the one Susanoo had provided. But a single delay in a battle with Gods could prove lethal.

Susanoo swung his sword at Shirou, the blow seeking to cleave him in two. A blow that would have felled any mortal man and even a few gods.

But Shirou was far from ordinary and hadn't lived this long against supernatural opponents without gaining some skill. Shirou leapt back at the same time Susanoo attacked. As such he only received a glancing blow-

_STATIC._

"Wh-at?" Shirou staggered, suddenly sluggish. His reinforcement flickered, as if on the verge of failing completely.

Seeing this, Susanoo said, "I had suspected as much. Your powers are of Steel... unfortunately for you, Gan Jiang is capable of sealing away all steel beneath the heavens."

_Gan Jiang? _Shirou focused on the sword Susanoo was wielding, suddenly realizing why it felt familiar.

-A shared history. The sword crafted by a legendary blacksmith and given to a cruel king. One half of a married pair of blades. Though, unlike the one he was familiar with, this Gan Jiang was a Chinese one-handed straight sword.

...It was also much more powerful.

Shirou grit his teeth, forcing himself to move.

Susanoo advanced with yet another attack, swinging Gan Jiang down in a fierce diagonal slash.

However, with Shirou's failing reinforcement, he was too slow to avoid it, even though he reacted in time.

Arrows cut through the night air again, forcing Susanoo to halt his attack to dodge or parry the blows now that his barrier was broken. A brief gap in the combat.

A brief gap, but one that Shirou sorely needed to figure out what was happening. He made a mental note to thank Liliana before taking a deep breath and focusing inwards.

Susanoo hadn't been lying. With that single grazing blow, half of Shirou's circuits had been sealed away. The same was true of Durandal. He could sense that they were still there, and that they would break through the strange power keeping them disabled eventually, but it would be too long for them to be of use again in this battle.

Shirou frowned. _I guess it's back to old tactics. _He was slower now than his opponent. At the same time, a single graze would be crippling enough to cause his death. To deal with this situation... "Trace, on." Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in Shirou's hands.

In doing so, a strange resonant sound echoed through the clearing. Both Susanoo's blade and Kushina's began glowing, as if drawn toward the presence of Shirou's swords.

Seeing that, and between dodging Liliana's arrows, Susanoo said, "You possess interesting abilities, Campione. A pity that you are on her side."

Shirou didn't say anything, instead calming his mind to anticipate Susanoo's next actions.

"No words, eh? Then don't blame me for causing your death!" Susanoo attacked, Gan Jiang swung with a domineering slash. It glowed crimson, the God of Storms no doubt intending to seal away these blades as he did Durandal-

_CLANG._

-But instead of meeting thin air, it was repelled.

"What?"

Susanoo was surprised, and in that time Shirou stepped forward with Bakuya in an upward slash.

Unfortunately, just before it would have struck, a cloak of flames reemerged around Susanoo. Striking it, Bakuya was unable to do anything but shatter.

Shirou recovered quickly, projecting another copy to replace the one that broke.

Susanoo laughed and said, "Fortune is on my side, God Slayer! The Yata Mirror's restoration marks your end!" With those words said, Susanoo swung Gan Jiang, sending out a wave of crimson light that could seal away all steel.

Bakuya cleaved through the crimson wave, and Shirou advanced. In doing so, fake clashed against the original as Kanshou met Gan Jiang.

_CRACK._ Shirou narrowed his eyes. _This is going to be difficult._

Despite being reinforced, Kanshou was unable to withstand the might of Susanoo's blade and splintered.

The opponent Shirou faced possessed a formidable defense, and a single glancing blow from his blade would send Shirou reeling. Not only that, but Shirou's strongest abilities would be instantly sealed, the result of his greatest attacks originating from swords, which in turn carried an origin of steel.

An origin that Gan Jiang inconveniently sealed.

Shirou grit his teeth upon that realization. However, he didn't give up. A single flaw in Susanoo's defenses. A single mistake. That was all Shirou needed. If there was even a .1% chance of victory, he would be able to seize the opportunity and turn the tides of battle.

Red Punishment was capable of breaking the barrier, but it would take precious moments to fully activate, time that Susanoo would not allow having experienced the attack once before.

Lacrimosa, the ability granted to him by Caine... while powerful, it wasn't enough to break the Yata Mirror. Perhaps it would be strong enough to end Susanoo once it was breached, but the problem of shattering the Yata Mirror in the first place remained.

So Shirou had to wait. Bide his time, carefully stalling until either Susanoo revealed a crucial opening or one of the two Goddesses returned to aid him.

One exchange of blades. Two, three... over a hundred blows were traded between Susanoo and Shirou. Due to both Archer's fighting tactics and Shirou's sheer tenacity, he managed to hold on nearly a full minute against Susanoo's onslaught.

It would have been a different story had the God of Storms used anything other than Gan Jiang, but fortunately enough, he seemed to have taken a personal affront to Shirou lasting so long against him and refused to change tactics.

Of course it would be at that point that Shirou messed up.

A slight miscalculation. One born from the mental strain of fighting at half battle capacity and against an opponent that was far superior to his current state.

When Shirou swung to parry with Bakuya, his slash went a little too wide, the resonance between the married swords causing his blade to be drawn towards Gan Jiang. Due to fatigue, Shirou wasn't able to compensate for it.

Susanoo let out a wicked grin and sent a blinding slash at Shirou's exposed torso.

Shirou grit his teeth, forcing himself to step back. In doing so, he again managed to get out of the way quickly enough to avoid a deep wound, but-

_STATIC._

A pervading coldness, the sensation of foreign steel creeping into his veins. Shirou felt Kanshou and Bakuya vanish without a sound. At the same time, his reinforcement dropped, leaving him back with his original crimson hair.

"This is the end, Campione!" Susanoo slashing Gan Jiang to cleave Shirou's neck.

In response, Shirou summoned Red Punishment, inwardly thanking his past self for his forethought.

The blade was truly a 'Divine Instrument' in the shape of a sword rather than truly being made of legendary steel and thus wasn't subjected to the effects of Gan Jiang. An Authority masquerading as a sword rather than truly being such in its core.

Because of this, Shirou still had a weapon even after his circuits were sealed. ...Unfortunately, that didn't solve his problem of being weakened. Even so, Shirou managed to leap back and raise Red Punishment to block, bracing it with both hands in preparation of receiving Susanoo's attack.

A fierce and dominating blow that could shatter mountains.

Fortunately, since Shirou was already in the air, a majority of the force was mitigated. Unfortunately, it was still enough to send him flying backwards at a high speed.

_THWACK._

A heavy impact.

Shirou was dazed, the first time he had been in a while. And because of that, he knew the mortal danger he was in. Fractions of a second would determine life or death in a battle at this level, and in the state Shirou was in, it would be entire seconds before he recovered.

Susanoo charged to finish him off. But before then, there was a flash of silver and blue.

"Shirou! Get a hold of yourself, quickly!"

_Liliana._

Her voice sounded as if from far away, and she looked like a blue and silver blur rather than a person.

But Shirou became aware of it. He realized immediately that Liliana had emerged from her hiding spot to directly contest against Susanoo.

Susanoo stared at Liliana and said, "Hmph. A mortal dares to interfere in a fight against gods?"

"I do." Liliana's face was stern, focused. Yet, it still betrayed her worry, her violet eyes still flitting over in Shirou's direction.

Shirou couldn't move yet, but he could speak. And when he saw Liliana looking back at him, he said, "Dammit, Liliana! Run away!"

Liliana smiled, an expression Shirou was unable to make out in his daze. And then she charged, swinging Il Maestro in a fierce barrage of attacks. That is, fierce for someone not a God or Campione.

As it were, Susanoo easily dealt with the blows, not even bothering to move as they crashed uselessly against the Yata Mirror's protection.

_MOVE, DAMMIT! _Shirou shook his head, trying to force his body to move.

-Dangerous. Liliana was completely out of her league, and if Shirou didn't want her to die, he had to GET UP NOW.

A single breath. That was how much time elapsed between Liliana starting her attack and Shirou recovering enough to stand up.

A single breath, one after which Susanoo swept out his left hand and said, "ENOUGH!"

Shirou moved, already making his way towards Liliana. The distance between them was short, only a few meters.

Liliana saw Susanoo's actions and yet, instead of dodging, she charged at it straight on. If it was an attack, be it a sword slash or lightning, that might have been the correct move. Shirou was unable to dodge, and so Liliana could have mitigated the attack in some manner to give Shirou a chance for victory.

-But it wasn't an attack that shot out towards Liliana. Divine intent roiled out and in doing so enveloped Liliana in light.

There was only enough time for Shirou to catch a hint of surprise in her eyes before she vanished.

"LILIANA!" Shirou discarded any notions of caution and ran towards Susanoo, calling out the full power of Red Punishment as he charged.

The light that had enveloped Liliana flew back towards Susanoo along with an elegant silver and blue comb bearing a pink floral design.

Seeing that caused Shirou's mind to reel. He recognized that. Not the comb specifically, but the manner of creating it was something that Shirou was capable of doing as well.

Using something with accumulated memories to create a Divine Instrument. A feat that would allow anything to be used as a base material, and then release its full might once the memories are unlocked.

Only this time, the source was Liliana.

-He could tell. The comb that flew towards Susanoo was Liliana, encompassing her entire being. Memories, body, soul. All were coiled into one, formed into that delicate hair instrument within Susanoo's hand.

Shirou's mind ground to a halt and time seemed to crawl to a stop.

He was running forward, Red Punishment covering his arms in flames as it worked in overtime to unleash its powers.

Susanoo gave Shirou a savage grin.

Shirou ran, forcing himself to move faster even if it would break him. In his mind, there was only a single thought. _LILIANA!_

She was in danger. She had risked her life and even placed herself in the path of Susanoo directly to act as a shield. To provide Shirou some opportunity, some chance at victory.

...She had told him she loved him.

_NO._

...Would it happen again? Would he be forced to watch as the ones who loved him died before his eyes, unable to do anything about it?

_NO!_

Shirou forced the thought out of his mind and swung his sword, trying to move as fast as he could to grab Liliana. Trying to distract Susanoo enough to make him falter.

Divine Instrument Forging.

Shirou knew the process, and thus knew how to save her. He just had to get her back, and then the process was simple. Easy.

...But it wouldn't happen.

The comb reached Susanoo's hand. And the moment it did-

_CRACK_

-Susanoo clenched his hand, causing the comb to break in half.

...Causing Liliana's very being to shatter.

Susanoo tossed the pieces to the side and said, "There. Now it's just you and me, Campione."

Shirou stopped in his tracks. _No way._

Liliana had just been there. Had fought at his side even knowing the dangers to herself. And yet, so easily, she had died?

Shirou couldn't believe it. _Wouldn't_ believe it.

Susanoo, upon seeing Shirou's expression, said, "What did you expect to happen, Campione? To have a mortal, and a woman at that fight your battle for you... Hmph. Be happy that I at least granted her a painless death. ...Though the same cannot be said for you."

Shirou didn't respond.

Liliana was gone.

Her soul was utterly shattered, leaving Shirou no way to revive her even with his Ring of Death.

Liliana was gone.

He would never see her face again, never experience her awkward attempts to try and please him, never again take her out shopping and see her brilliant smile.

Liliana was gone.

Liliana was gone, and it was because of her desire to be of use to him. Because of her loyalty and fearless disregard of her own life in favor of Shirou's.

_BECAUSE OF HIM._

"_TRACE ON!_" Shirou's words came out as a roar. Instantly, his circuits surged to life, defying all odds and breaking past the seal placed upon them by Gan Jiang. Mana surged, and an endless torrent of power far above any mortal mage's, and even other Campione, emanated from Shirou.

In an instant, the sky, which had been blanketed by storm clouds, became covered in steel. For miles across, countless swords appeared in the sky.

"Oh?" Susanoo was surprised at the action, but didn't seem to concerned.

Seeing that expression, Shirou roared and said, _"TRIGGER, OFF! INFINITE FIRE!"_ Emerald light splayed across Shirou's skin as his circuits worked in overtime to channel the energy necessary to supply his projections.

A mass of steel that could wipe out the entire island, entire _kingdoms_ fell upon Susanoo.

At the same time, Shirou projected a sword and held it above his head. It was plain, unadorned. The typical archetype he thought of when he imagined a sword. Simple, ordinary... and yet this sword carried a technique that was far from it.

An unlimited number of sword skills. An infinite number of blades to execute them.

Shirou let out a strangled roar and stepped forward, the sword in his hand at once all the swords he ever possessed and at the same time attacking with all the techniques he never knew in a single moment... no, rather-

_"INFINITY MOMENT!"_

A speed that surpassed god speed in Shirou's fury. Time and space ground to a halt as everything before Shirou began twisting apart, severed by an infinite number of instantaneous attacks. This was immediately followed by millions upon millions of blades, a near infinite pinpoint barrage all in an attempt to break through the barrier with sheer force.

Susanoo narrowed his eyes upon seeing Shirou's actions and said, "I will admit that you are powerful, Campione. But this is your end!"

Susanoo swung his blade, Gan Jiang. With it, the heavens themselves seemed as if they were bending.

Shirou's projections shattered, as well as the sword in his hand. But Shirou didn't allow that to faze him. Red Punishment appeared without a second thought, and Shirou lunged to finish the job-

_Slick._

-Only to be pierced in the heart by Gan Jiang.

Susanoo stared into Shirou's eyes. "...A worthy opponent. Your face... I will not forget it." With that said, he swung his arm, sending Shirou's body careening off into the distance.

* * *

Mo Ye had recovered from her wounds- no, that was a lie.

The attack Susanoo had dealt her was lethal.

Though she was recovered enough to regain consciousness and move, Susanoo's attack would slowly dissolve her energy, her very essence. The result of Gan Jiang sealing away her nature.

Mo Ye clutched at her wound and sighed at the crimson she saw dripping out of it. But that could be ignored. She was doomed to die anyway, and if she could at least free Gan Jiang before then, all of her efforts would have been worth it, even if she never saw his face again. But before then, she had to go aid Shirou.

The Campione relied heavily upon swords, and so would be at a disadvantage when he fought against Susanoo alone. However, with just another ally to ease the pressure, it should be enough to provide an opportunity to end Susanoo.

Mo Ye got to her feet, gripping her sword and preparing to once again do battle.

Then Shirou was sent flying past her, a stab wound through his heart. Shortly after, Susanoo called out. "Your champion has been slain, Mo Ye! Though formidable, he too has fallen to my blade! Now... will you surrender to your fate, or will you allow even more to die for your sake?!"

Mo Ye stared at Susanoo standing there with an indomitable aura and felt her heart drop.

After countless centuries, after all the time separated from her husband, after all her preparations... In the end she couldn't even lay a single wound upon his slayer.

Not only that, but she had greatly harmed the one who had came to her aid in spite of his own safety. And from the lack of the silver-haired knight's presence, even lost the love of his life in the process.

Unwilling.

Mo Ye was unwilling to accept that outcome. She was unwilling to give up here and allow Susanoo to slay her. She was unwilling to once again be Kushinadahime and unknowing of her true nature, true identity.

Unwilling.

Mo Ye lowered her head.

She was unwilling to accept the fate before her, and yet with all that had happened, what else could she do? Athena was still unconscious and would not recover for some time. Shirou was dead... and she could not contest against Susanoo's strength alone, let alone live to see past the day even if she managed to escape.

* * *

Shirou felt himself flying through the air.

A cold chill spread throughout his body, a sensation that seemed to seal away every power he had. A frost that crushed all steel and prevented it from rising. And, as one who lived his whole life with a sword, as a sword, creating a sword... Shirou could do nothing about it.

Dying. With that single blow from Susanoo, he was dying.

A heavy impact. One that rattled Shirou's body.

Shirou landed on the ground, bouncing a few times before he stopped moving.

Blood pooled out beneath him, draining away with every passing moment.

He was dying. He was dying, and yet he refused to die.

A denial. A rejection of the reality before him.

A rejection of Liliana perishing in a single instant. A rejection of losing the one who supported him even at her own life. A rejection of being so incapable that he couldn't protect her when she had been within arm's reach.

Shirou had thought himself powerful, enough to protect her. He was arrogant enough to believe she would be safe at his side.

He was mistaken.

Regret... enough to make him want to kill himself a thousand times over.

Shirou loved her.

Liliana's quiet devotion, her small yet brilliant smiles.

Shirou loved her.

Liliana's awkward attempts to be useful. Her thoughtful actions taken without Shirou's prompting.

Shirou loved her. He loved her, and he wanted to protect her, to stand against the world itself if it tried to harm her, to make her as happy as she deserved to be for standing beside him who had nothing to offer her.

But he realized it too late. And now there was nothing he could do. With Susanoo's actions, Liliana's soul, her entire _being _was shattered. There was no way for Shirou to recover it, even with his Authority over life and death.

A finality that declared she would no longer live. A Fate that he couldn't save her.

That he couldn't save anyone, let alone the one he loved.

_Are you going to accept that?_

A voice. One he hadn't heard in a long time. The one of the swordsman who had stood by his side in the Grail War and helped him attain a miracle to save one who could not be saved.

_Where's the Shirou I know who denied reality itself to save the ones he cared for?_

-That's right. He had done such a thing in the past.

_Where's the Shirou who would rather erase himself completely than allow a reality where they didn't exist?_

...Right. He would rather completely eradicate himself than allow a world where they were not alive. Had eradicated himself to save them.

_You saved them, and they wanted you to LIVE! Are you going to just lay there and let everything be for nothing?!_

Shirou's life was slipping away. He could feel the blood pooling beneath him and could do nothing about it. Yet...

_Get up! _

...He denied it.

His mind was fading. His abilities were sealed. His very soul was on the verge of leaving his body. And yet, in spite of that, Shirou forced his body up.

-Hopeless. An impossible situation. Even so...

Shirou saw Kushina standing before Susanoo. Saw her face etched with despair and unwillingness.

Seeing that...

_I am the Champion who shall deny Fate itself, who shall eradicate All Evil in this World._

...He _severed_ his inability to fight.

The world- no, all of existence seemed to jerk and grind to a halt. At the same time, all the wounds on Shirou's body faded away like an illusion. In the next moment, Susanoo was sent staggering back as the wounds reappeared on him.

"Kuh-!" The God of Storms spat out blood. "What?!" He saw Shirou standing and said, "You...! How are you still alive?"

Shirou didn't speak. Instead, he took a step forward.

Kushina gasped. "Emiya Shirou, you still live? But..."

Hearing her voice, Shirou cast a brief glance at her, but then turned his head back and strode towards Susanoo.

The God of Storms narrowed his eyes, as if peering into his soul. "I see... you are not only of Steel, but of Darkness as well! No wonder...! You are the calamity that will shatter Fate!"

"Calamity?" Shirou stopped. "...Yes, that's a good term for it. Towards one like you who sees only their self-righteousness, I would seem to be just that."

Static.

_He had seen it before in the past. Countless kings, countless Campione, countless heroes who brandished their own justice without caring for those who would be affected._

Static.

Shirou took another step forward.

A soft blue light appeared in the forest clearing, illuminating them all with its radiance.

Susanoo's eyes grew wide upon seeing that, especially when he realized Shirou was the source of it. "That aura... You're the King of Steel?!"

Those words made Shirou pause for a moment. "Steel?"

Static.

_Steel is my body and fire is my blood._

Static.

"...No," Shirou said. His words were directed to both the chant echoing in his mind and Susanoo. "I am not steel."

He wasn't. In the past, there had been a time where he was. But now, upon being reborn into this world, upon giving everything to create a miracle... his origin had changed.

_This body was made to save. That life discarded, my past thrown away..._

Words that connected Emiya Shirou, his declaration to all of existence as witness...

"I am Salvation, and I am your end!"

His circuits flared. Power- no, Divinity coursed throughout his blood, his body. The Authority to overturn Fate itself as well as every single absolute.

Shirou charged forward, hands stretched out before him.

Susanoo scowled, but remained unmoved. The Yata mirror was still intact, and would resist whatever attack Shirou could perform. That was what Susanoo believed. As such, he simply waited for his opportunity to counter attack.

Shirou clenched his hands, grabbing the hilts of swords that suddenly appeared before him.

Susanoo gasped when he saw them. "Those swords-! Impossible!"

Ganjiang and Moye. The swords modeled after the legend of Gan Jiang and his wife, Mo Ye. The couple who crafted a pair of blades that could reach the heavens. Blades that were wrought with the sacrifice of Mo Ye's life. Swords that would be drawn together for all time... symbols of their enduring love and the promised reunion upon their life's end.

-Different. The swords Shirou was wielding were not those of this world. They were modeled after the legend, not the truth. Instead of Chinese one-handed straight swords, these held the appearance of crane wings. Black and white, Yin and Yang.

And yet, perhaps because of that, they proved even more powerful, embodying the ideal.

"Spirit and technique, flawless and firm!" Shirou swung the married swords towards the Yata mirror, and the Divine protection was shattered without a sound.

"You-!" Susanoo leapt back and shot a blast of lightning at Shirou and tried to hinder his advance.

Shirou's response was swinging Ganjiang at the lightning. "Our strength rips the mountains!" With those words, the barrage of lightning was sundered, Shirou's swords easily withstanding the attack.

Susanoo, no doubt knowing he would die if Shirou closed the distance, continued to act. "Thunder, lightning, storm and winds! The waters that carry throughout the kingdom! Obey my command!" Lifting his hand to the sky, Susanoo called forth a torrential downpour, coalescing the rainwater into a massive watery fist, and sent it down at Shirou.

It was something that could not possibly be blocked, its size spanning nearly the entire sky above them.

Shirou didn't even look at it, continuing with his advance. "Our swords split the water!"

The massive watery fist fell, descending like a berserk titan's wrath upon the Earth.

Moye swung up and carved the watery attack into billions of droplets that became a harmless mist.

Susanoo scowled, drawing out Gan Jiang. "BREAK!" He swung his sword at Shirou, the blade illuminating with crimson light to seal away Shirou's powers-

"Our names reach the imperial villa!"

-But as if in defiance of the heavens, Shirou's swords moved unhampered and clashed with the true Gan Jiang.

Fakes versus the originals. Illusion versus reality. The only outcome should have been that Shirou's swords shattered, failing to contend with the true blades.

However... the fact remained that, even if something was fake, a beautiful illusion could hold more power than a cruel reality. And it was in that manner that Susanoo's Gan Jiang shattered and he was forced back.

Shirou closed the distance, only a step away from Susanoo. A step away from the God's death.

However, though Gan Jiang had shattered and Shirou easily defended against Susanoo's attacks, there was still one trump card he had left to play. Susanoo reached behind him and drew out another blade, one that crackled with lightning and seemed to embody the concept of Heavenly Tribulation.

"CAMPIONE! YOU FALL HERE!"

Susanoo roared and swung his blade out. Lightning every color of the rainbow gathered and soared towards Shirou with the roar akin to dragons, an action echoed by more lightning gathering from the sky and shooting down.

Any one of those lightning bolts from the sky would be enough to destroy the most powerful mage, and the multicolored barrage of lightning was even moreso.

However, seeing such a formidable sight, Shirou's reaction was to leap into the air, holding both Ganjiang and Moye above his head.

"The two of us together..."

-Yin and Yang. Married blades created with human sacrifice and reaching the level of the gods themselves.

Ganjiang and Moye let out a surge of black and white light before coalescing above Shirou's head.

"...Will shatter the heavens!"

Shirou swung his arms, and the heavens were cleaved apart.

The storms, lightning... everything Susanoo had called forth were instantly cut in two and dispelled. As such, there was no resistance to the attack, causing the God who had called them forth to suffer the same fate.

In that manner, Susanoo vanished, slain without a single trace of him remaining.

Shirou lowered his arms, idly noting that his two swords had vanished, leaving behind only a single blade in his right hand with an eel-skin pattern on one side and a turtle shell pattern on the other.

He ignored it, instead walking over to the comb that Susanoo had discarded earlier.

It was silver, with regal azure streaks bearing a pink floral design.

Shirou closed his eyes. "Liliana..."

He had failed her. "I..."

He had loved her. "...I'm sorry."

He could not save her.

Despite everything, despite all his might, despite his ability to cut through even the absolute defenses of gods...

He couldn't save her.

A faint pair of footsteps.

Shirou's turned towards them.

Kushina- no, Mo Ye was walking towards him.

Her ruby eyes glanced towards the comb in Shirou's hands and then she let out a sigh. "Emiya Shirou."

"...Mo Ye."

He returned her greeting, but said nothing more, still tracing over the design of the broken comb in his hands.

The footsteps drew closer, and then a pair of elegant hands overlapped his own.

Shirou looked up.

Mo Ye gave him a wistful smile. "...You are not him, but you are the same as him. Such kind eyes and strong arms... yet such a fragile heart." She sighed. "I cannot give you much for your help... and with the wound Susanoo has dealt me, I am not much longer for this world. Even so..." Kushina gently pulled the broken comb from Shirou's hands. "Allow me this final gift to ease your burdened heart."

Shirou didn't resist. What was the worst that she could do, now that Liliana's very existence had shattered?

Mo Ye cast a wistful look at the comb in her hands. "Such devotion, and such love, willing to give up everything for the one she cherished. Like I did to craft Ganjiang and Moye with my husband so long ago. This girl... she was as foolish as I was back then." Kushina shook her head and then looked at Shirou. "Thank you, Champion of Salvation, for reuniting us once again. May we meet again... and with my last, let me... overturn this girl's tragic ending..."

With those words said, Kushina faded away into motes of light resembling cherry blossoms. And in her place...

"...Shirou."

...The girl who stood by his side without regarding her own. The one who would be willing to give her life for him. Who had given her life for him now twice over. The one who had slowly and silently gained a place in his heart without him noticing.

"Liliana."

He took a step towards her.

She was unharmed, looking exactly as she did before. Seeing his gaze, she took a step towards him before running into his arms. "Shirou!"

Shirou held her close, wrapping her in his arms.

Liliana hid her face in his chest. "I thought... I thought that-"

"...It's alright now."

And it was.

Shirou didn't know what Mo Ye had done, didn't know how she had attained the miracle even Shirou couldn't create.

But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that Liliana was alive.

Shirou tightened his grip, as if afraid that it was only a mirage.

Liliana stiffened upon feeling his actions. "Shirou-"

Overcome with emotions, Shirou said the first words on his mind. "Idiot. Who asked you to die for me?"

"A-ah, that is-"

"And who gave you the ridiculous idea of charging a god head on? You aren't a Campione... or was it some reckless attempt to try and become one? Idiot."

Liliana trembled. "I'm... Milord, I-"

Feeling her do that, Shirou let out a long sigh. "...Idiot. You don't need to try so hard just to show you love me. I like you just the way you are."

Liliana froze. "Does that mean...?"

"As much as it annoys me to admit it, yes Liliana, I love you too. Even if you're almost suicidally reckless. Geez, is this what they had to go through seeing me back then? If so, I owe everyone a huge apology-" Shirou was rambling. Mostly to cover up his embarrassment from saying those words.

For a few moments, Liliana didn't move, still processing Shirou's words. When they sank in, she wrapped her arms around Shirou's neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

This time, Shirou was the one who froze, stunned at Liliana's action. A small part of him felt a stab of pain at the current situation. That by allowing it to occur, he was betraying the memory of the past, but-

_Live, Shirou. _

-that quickly faded as he remembered...

_If you're happy, we're happy._

...That his happiness was all that mattered to them.

Liliana, sensing Shirou's reluctance leaned back. "I-I'm sorry, Milord. I-if I've been presumptuous, I-"

Shirou cut her off by drawing her close and stealing her breath away with another kiss.

* * *

Godou swung his sword, lightning crackling as the Goat activated, channeled through the Warrior. At the same time, white flames burst out towards Perseus, the Stallion activating in tandem.

"This power... Verethregna's, is it not?" Perseus swung his blades, batting Godou's attacks to the side. "Yes, this is all too familiar... you must have defeated him and obtained his ten incarnations. A pity that I am your opponent!"

Perseus's blades shone with a strange light, and when Godou clashed with him again, he felt the Goat and Stallion get sealed. But how could Godou allow himself to lose so easily?

Perseus smiled and charged in, obviously believing Godou to be powerless against him.

Then he got a sword to the face, cutting off more than a few of his blond locks.

Perseus immediately backpedaled. "You...! How is it that you can still use those abilities when I've sealed them?"

Godou grinned. "Sealed them? Hah... after all you've done, did you think I'd allow that to happen?"

Perseus frowned, as if staring into Godou's soul. "...That's impossible. They're sealed. I can sense it. The abilities you obtained from Verethragna should not be granting you their strength. Yet... you can still use them?"

Godou laughed, a hint of madness in his eyes. "Grant me their strength...? 'Use' them?" He shook his head. Maybe that had been true, once upon a time. But now...

"You should have known this by now, Perseus. But since you don't, let me spell it out for you." Godou's face stilled. "A Hero triumphs against all odds. A Hero defies the heavens. A Hero creates a miracle where none exists!"

Godou's words echoed throughout the night sky, and as they did, his sword glowed with a sacred light.

Perseus simply stared at him in shock. "That is... impossible! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! There's no way for a human to channel so much divinity! You... who are you?!"

Godou swung his sword. "I AM VICTORY!"

Golden light cleaved apart the night sky, leaving Perseus with no recourse to dodge.

"That's... ah. I see."

The attack was over, leaving Perseus with a mortal wound splitting him from shoulder to hip. Even then, he continued to stare at Godou. "...No wonder. Both you and the other devil king..." Perseus let out a sigh. "Usurpers. Both of you, reaching out in defiance of the heavens to grasp at powers beyond your reckoning. But I suppose... that is how heroes are born."

He looked up into the sky, staring at the stars. "Then... to make room for the new, the old will have to make their exit. Isn't that right, Andr-"

Whatever Perseus was going to say was left unspoken as he turned into nothing more than motes of golden light.

Godou felt something press inside of him, as well as a burgeoning of _power_ that hadn't been there before, but he ignored it in favor of the ones waiting for him below.

Erica was still unconscious and Yuri was watching over her.

He made his way towards them but then stopped as he felt a surge of power in the distance.

_Is that... Shirou?_

Familiar. Godou couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about that power that reminded Godou of Shirou.

-And he had the strange sense of foreboding that Shirou would need help.

As such, he said, "Watch Erica for me, Yuri! I'll be right back!"

"Godou!" Yuri pouted, swinging her fists. "You cannot...! That is to say-"

"Shirou needs my help!"

With only that as an explanation, Godou flew off, using the Gale and Raptor to its utmost speed. He quickly flew across the villa and into the distant woods.

-Devastated. If the battlefield where Doni and Perseus fought was a warzone, then this place was the aftermath of a nuclear bomb. It was almost completely leveled in areas, and burnt to nothing but ash in others.

It didn't take much for him to find the source of the devastation. When he arrived...

"Ah, Kusanagi Godou." Athena greeted them. She had a long gash along her clothes and was bleeding, but she didn't look too out of sorts. "I am glad to see that you are unharmed."

"Right. Same to you, Athena." Godou nodded, absently acknowledging her presence.

The reason for his reaction?

Godou stared for a moment longer and then laughed. "Just how much longer are you two planning to kiss like that, Shirou, Liliana?"

"E-eh?!"

"Wh- GODOU!"

Both Shirou and Liliana leapt apart, equally red in the face.

Seeing that caused Godou to laugh even more.

And like that, the first and frantic night in Italy came to an end, with lovers reunited, powers awoken, and gods slain.

* * *

Elsewhere, far above the skies, there was a man. With his keen eyes, he easily saw the battles that had taken place, as well as the abilities used by the latest two Campione.

"That black-haired boy managed to use a facsimile of her blade and 'Emiya Shirou' touched upon my own domain once again."

The voice was soft, yet sharp, like a drawn blade. "Two intruders, grasping at powers beyond their reach. Fools. One wanting Victory at all costs and willing to defy the heavens to obtain it, the other seeking Salvation and denying reality to actualize it."

The man clenched his hands, causing a sound akin to straining steel, before turning his attention elsewhere.

"...It's time."

In a distant island, there was a flash of golden light as a seal was torn apart. In doing so, an image of a castle emerged from thin air. It lasted only a moment, but the moment was long enough for someone to step out from it.

Blonde hair the color of golden wheat fields fluttered in the wind. From the armor the person wore, it was clear that they were a knight. Yet, how could such a person be a mere knight?

The person walked out with a bearing more kingly than knightly and armed with a sword more sacred than beautiful.

"...So we are needed once again. I had hoped that the last battle would end it all." A dignified voice carrying with it the charisma of kings.

Though they were separated by the heavens themselves, the man could hear the other person's words as clear as if they were spoken beside him. He sighed and said, "As did I. But it looks like we have one final battle yet."

Saber nodded. "Very well. Then, as always, I await your word, Shirou."

* * *

A/N: That's a wrap! Here's the last chunk of that giant chapter I somehow managed to get done... yesterday, was it? Geez, and it seemed like so long ago already...

Lots of things happening in this chapter, as well as the firing of a few Chekhov guns... at least I hope so. Might need to rework the earlier parts at some points if they didn't...

Anyway, big fight! Much drama! Shirou's Origin revealed! First and second line of Reality Marble, get!

ShirouXLiliana flagship ahoy!

More Wuxia/Xianxia style battles because I've been reading too much of Stellar Transformation, Coiling Dragon, Desolate Era, and a crapton of other Wuxia stories!

Also... MIND BLOWING COMMENCE!

Up next, we'll be moving into the final arc of things and probably completely diverge from canon events. Maybe. I don't know, we'll find out when I write it. I mean, I have a vague idea in my mind, but considering how I pulled this chapter from thin air... I dunno.

Thanks for reading! This was probably the most writing I've ever done, period. Not even sure why the hell I did it, but who cares?! It was awesome! It was magical! And I gained a huge insight into the Dao of Writing!

Totally worth it.

Anyway, once again, thanks for reading. Leave a review if you enjoyed, since I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the chapter. Love it? Hate it? Vent your feelings in a review, though make sure to concisely and strictly point out where those feelings begin if you would.

Until the next!


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